


Because Hogwarts Doesn't Accept FAFSA

by genericfanatic



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Based on true stories of my life, M/M, Muggle Quidditch AU, ish, nonbinary pidge, not a Harry Potter AU, there's a difference
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-18
Updated: 2017-04-11
Packaged: 2018-08-31 15:57:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 46,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8584657
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/genericfanatic/pseuds/genericfanatic
Summary: The Altea Tech Quidditch Team is under threat of being cancelled.Hopefully, some new members will be able to save it. Even if that new seeker is really annoying.





	1. You Can't Cancel Quidditch!

**Author's Note:**

> So, I played Quidditch in college and I suddenly had the idea for an AU with Keith and Lance as seekers. Many of the things here will be based on real events, though obviously will not be kept to those events
> 
> No idea when updates are going to happen because I am working on two other active fics and a one-shot so who knows. But I do have most of the second chapter ready, so thats coming soon. I was going to wait until I got one of the other fics finished but I can't stop thinking about this one so here we are

Hunk sighed, watching Lance desperately try and climb the tree. “Lance, you’re gonna hurt yourself.”

“No…I’m…Not…” The branches were just slightly out of reach and far too wide to just grab onto, even if he jumped, so he attempted instead to shimmy up the side. The problem, of course, was that the tree was more wide and knobly than most trees that would allow you to do that. Still, motivated by sheer determination, Lance pushed himself….2 feet off the ground. And that was giving a generous definition to ‘2 feet.’

“Jeezus, Lance, you’re gonna hurt the TREE.” Hunk said, sitting with his laptop open and deleting a line off an email. He made double, triple, quadruple sure that the addresses he had put in it were correct, and that his original email was actually sent yesterday. “Hey, listen to this, ‘Reminder to anyone interested, Quidditch Practice is Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5, beginning RIGHT NOW (all caps) so be sure to come down to Yelmier fields to learn the rules and play with a great group of people!’”

“Okay?” Lance said, bark crumbling over his fingertips as he tried to gain a new grip, “Why did you want me to listen to that?”

“I’m sending it out to all the people who signed up on our email list. You don’t think it sounds too…pressure-y? I don’t want to scare people away.”

“Hunk, you have never pressured anyone into anything in your life,” Lance said. Hunk still looked worried, “If it helps, Allura might kill you if you DON’T send it.”

And like that, Hunk pressed the ‘send’ button. “Well, there goes nothing. Think anyone’ll show up?”

“No idea.” Lance said, “I hope so.”

“What the hell are you doing?”

At the sound of Allura’s high pitched stress-voice, Lance promptly dropped out of the tree and onto his back with an undignified squeak. He tilted his chin up to see Allura in her favorite T-shirt that read ‘Because Hogwarts doesn’t accept FAFSA.’ Flanking her were her roommates and fellow team members, Matt and Shiro. “Good evening, Princess. Gentleman.” Lance said, as though he wasn’t covered in dust from climbing up a tree.

Allura looked around. “Where’s everyone else?”

Hunk swallowed awkwardly, “Well…I just sent out a reminder e-mail. Most people probably forgot.”

Allura bit her lip as Matt and Shiro sat beside Hunk. “What about players from last year? Rolo? Nyma? Anyone?”

“Nyma’s got work on Tuesdays and Thursday evenings this semester.” Lance said, dusting himself off, but quite comfortable staying on the ground, “She said she might be able to snitch for us for some weekend games if we really needed her. And Rolo’s on a semester abroad.”

Allura sighed, disappointed. “So, it’s just us.” She collapsed, sitting with the rest of them and resting her chin on her hand. “I’ve been reluctant to say this, but…we may have to cancel the team.”

“You can’t cancel Quidditch!” Lance said in a horrible British accent.

Shiro swatted his head, “What have I said about doing movie quotes while Allura’s stressed?”

“Not…to do it?” 

“Besides,” Matt said, “Oliver Wood quotes are totally my schtick.” Shiro drew up his prosthetic arm to swat him in turn, “Sorry, sorry, serious time, I get it.”

“Seriously though,” Shiro said, “It’s only just turned 5 now, lets give it a bit. At the very least, in a half hour we can probably go get dinner.”

“I thought you three weren’t on the meal plan anymore since you got an on-campus apartment?” Hunk said. 

Matt put a finger to his lips and whispered a “Shh,” As he sent out a text. “Allura, I know for a fact a freshman is going to come.”

“How?” She said, sulking.

“Because my little sibling owes me big time, and I’m guilting them into coming.” 

Allura raised her eyebrow at him, but was smiling, “Great, I’m sure they won’t be resentful at all.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Naahhh, they’ll love it. Besides, what’s a little kidnapping when it comes to Quidditch?” That got Allura to snort. “Pidge needs more socialization anyway, or they will rot on their computer.”

“Like you?” Shiro said.

“Even worse.” Matt said, ignoring the dig, “Also, they’re 16, so if any of you flirt with them, LANCE,”

“Hey!”

“I WILL be forced to shish kabob you on your own broom.”

Lance reached over and grabbed the rod he called broom and kept with him over the summer, “You hurt Ole Blue and I’ll—I’ll—“ Matt raised an eyebrow, expectantly, “I’ll think of something.”

“Sixteen and already in college?” Hunk said, “At Altea Tech no less? That’s impressive.”

Matt shrugged, “Helps when they’re a prodigy. And when our Dad’s a professor.”

“My dad’s the dean,” Allura said, “And I couldn’t skip anything.”

“Um, excuse me? Is this Quidditch?” They all looked up to see a tall girl with big hoop earings and short brown hair. 

“Well, hello~” Lance started before Hunk clamped a hand over his mouth.

“Shay!” Hunk said, ignoring the fact Lance was trying to lick and bite his way to freedom, “You made it!” 

She beamed at him, “Well, how could I say no when you talked about how fun it was?”

In turn, Allura beamed at her, “Please, sit,” she said, making room, “My names Allura, I’m co-captain.” She and Shay exchanged handshakes, “Alright, Hunk gets the official kudos of the day.”

Hunk smiled at her, while Matt looked in disbelief, “What? I’m bringing someone too!” He said.

“a) They’re not actually here yet, b) you used threats, while Hunk used his natural charm.”

Matt pouted, and Shay giggled. “Well, hold on for just a moment,” Shiro said, “I might get some kudos too,” He waved to someone in the distance. 

Lance finally freed himself from Hunk’s grasp, and his blood ran cold when he saw who was approaching. It was a boy with black hair and all black sweats, and was eerily familiar to Lance. He spluttered, “What the—how did he—what’s he doing here?” He said, shocked.

“Oh, you know him?” Shiro said, “He’s my little sib in my dorm.”

“Do I—do I know him—I--!” 

“Hey Keith,” Shiro said, as Keith in question sat down, surveying the group, “I’m glad you’re here, wasn’t sure you were going to come.”

“I wasn’t sure either,” Keith said.

“What are YOU doing here?!” Lance demanded, slightly too loud.

Keith blinked at him, “Do I…know you?”

Lance spluttered again, “Uh, the name’s Lance.” Nothing. “We went to high school together? Remember? Lance and Keith, neck and neck in every class?”

Keith shrugged, “Sorry, dude, it was a big high school.”

“WE HAD EVERY CLASS TOGETHER?!” Lance protested before Hunk clamped his hand over his mouth again.

“Uh, anyway,” Allura said, as Hunk silently wrestled Lance to keep him under control, “We’re glad you’re here, Keith. Have you played any Quidditch before? Sorry, Shay I should be asking both of you.”

Shay and Keith both shook their heads, but before either could elaborate, they all heard in the distance a cry of “MAAAAATT!”

“Ah, Pidge is here,” Matt said, innocently, as a smaller version of him hurdled across the field and slammed into him. 

Matt sprawled on the ground as the smaller version, presumably Pidge, sat on his back, “30 texts? Really? 30??”

“Well, if you had just responded to the first 15…ow!”

Pidge scowled and looked at the rest of them, “Hi, I’m Pidge.” They said, as though they weren’t perched on their older brother.

“Actually,” Allura said, “Now that you’re here, we can begin introductions. I know you’re all probably tired of this from various orientations, but lets go around in a circle, and give your name, year, pronouns, major, position if you have one already, and ministry position if you have one. So, I’m Allura, senior, she/her, poli-sci major, I play pretty much everything, but I prefer chaser, and I’m Co-Captain. Oh! And I’m a Gryffindor. We should also do Hogwarts houses, I nearly forgot.”

She motioned for Shiro to go next. “Hi, I’m Shiro, he/him, I’m also a senior, I’m a physics major, a chaser/keeper, I’m the other co-captain, and Pottermore says I’m Gryffindor.” He shrugs. 

“Pfft,” Lance said, managing to free himself yet again, “Pottermore’s unreliable.”

“Lance,” Allura said in her warning voice, “We’ve had this debate before and we will not have it again.”

Lance pouted, “Anyway…” Matt continued from the ground, “Name’s Matt, he/him, 3rd senior, also physics major, treasurer, and chaser. And Ravenclaw.”

Pidge cleared their throat, “Hi, I’m Pidge, they/them most of the time, unless I tell you otherwise. I’m a freshman, and a Ravenclaw too.” Matt lifted his fist up off the ground and Pidge bumped it. 

Lance cleared his throat for dramatic effect, “My name’s Lance, but you can call me anytime. He/him pronouns, please and thank you, I’m an astronomy major, a sophomore and a beater/seeker. I’m also your friendly social chair for this year, and a proud Gryffindor.” He mumbled something under his breath along the lines of “no matter what stupid pottermore says.”

Hunk rolled his eyes, “Hi, I’m Hunk, he/him. Engineering major, beater/keeper…uh,” He counted on his fingers things he was supposed to say, “I’m a sophomore…Equipment Manager and secretary, aaaaand I’m a Hufflepuff.”

Shay smiled, “I’m ALSO a Hufflepuff!” She said, excited, “oh, I’ll start from the beginning. Shay, She/her, Junior, geology major, and…did I get everything?” Hunk nodded at her and she happily folded her arms in her lap.

Finally, the gaze of the group landed on Keith, “Uhh, I’m Keith,” He swallowed, ignoring Lance’s glare, “he/him, I’m a freshman—“

“How can you be a freshman?” Lance said, “We were in the same year in—“

“Lance, I swear to Rowling” Hunk said “if you make me have to gag you again—“

“I’m stopping! I’m stopping,” Lance said.

Keith rolled his eyes, “I took a GAP year, if you’ve ever heard of it. I’m still undecided and I don’t know my house.” 

Lance spluttered again, “Lance,” Shiro warned, “Don’t.”

“But—but—“ Lance said, “How do you NOT know? Like…are you just unsure? Caught between two? Or—“

“Actually, I’ve never read the books,” Keith said. Lance nearly died. “Or seen the movies. Shiro said that wasn’t a problem.”

“It’s not,” Allura said, desperate to calm the situation before it began. “Well then! Lets get started going over rules and positions. The rules are pretty different from what they are in the books, so don’t worry, Keith, you’re not behind. Veterans, why don’t you set up hoops and equipment while I go over some basics?” She glares at Lance, and he sighs, getting up to retrieve the equipment from the closet in Yelmier hall.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Keith?” Hunk asked as they set up hoops, cheaply made from pvc piping and hula hoops.

“Deal?” Lance said, bitterly, “What deal? There is no deal, apparently.” Hunk glared at him, “Fine. He was a stuck-up prick who thought he was better than everyone in classes, sports, you name it.”

“And…was he?”

“He was an anti-social bastard is what he was,” Lance said, “I tried to be friendly, I really did! But no, despite being only Salutatorian and not VALEdictorian, I was beneath the gaze of the almighty Keith.”

Hunk nodded, starting to understand, “Well, it can’t hurt to give him a chance,” Hunk said, “It’s been a year, a lot might have changed since then.”

Lance made a disbelieving noise, “I doubt it. Who joins the Quidditch team without having read Harry Potter?”

“Someone who’s nice and responds to the call when we’re desperate for numbers?” Hunk supplied. Lance sighed, and Hunk knew he just about had him, “You heard Allura earlier. We can barely field a team assuming all three newbies stay. If someone gets injured or has to drop out, we need Keith to be here, or there’s no team.”

Lance sighs, “Alright, I get it. I’ll try to be nice.” He swallowed, glaring at where Allura was going over riding brooms, “But I don’t have to like it.”


	2. Ass-Grabbing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New players learn how to play

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've written in a lot of the rules, so that hopefully when reading later chapters its not confusing, considering I'm willing to bet a lot of you don't know how to play Quidditch. (But you should. You should join your local Quidditch team. Do it. It's fun. Then make your team watch Voltron and then make them read this fanfic.)  
> Hopefully it makes sense to all of you! And if not...keep reading anyway, lotta good shenanigans I have planned.

“Chasing!” Allura said, “Its simple enough to understand. There are 3 chasers on each team, and their job is to get the quaffle, that’s this,” She holds up an old volleyball, “Into one of those three hoops.” She pointed at them, and then tossed Matt the quaffle. He and Shiro started passing it back and forth running down the field, brooms between their legs. When they reached the hoops, Shiro ran to the opposite side and Matt threw it through, Shiro catching it on the other side. 

Allura continued, “Each goal is worth 10 points. Any questions?” They were silent. “Alright, pair off and practice just what Shiro and Matt did, just simple passing and scoring.”

“Hunk?” Shay asked before Lance could get to him, “Would you be my partner?” Lance gaped at her, silently also noting she had taken out her hoop earrings, but that was NOT the biggest issue right now.

“Of course!” Hunk said, not even noticing the betrayed look on Lance’s face. 

The two of them grabbed one of the extra quaffles, leaving behind Lance, Keith and Pidge. Lance and Keith both turned on Pidge quickly.

Smiling broadly, Pidge looked up and said, “Allura, would you mind being my partner?”

“Oh, sure, Pidge,” Allura said, not yet putting together what that meant for the remainder of the team. Lance gaped at Pidge. Matt was the NICE sibling? It was too much to believe.

Lance scowled at the person who was to be his partner, but, as he promised Hunk, didn’t say anything. He just thought things. Loudly. “Lets get this over with,” he said, picking up the quaffle that Matt and Shiro had left behind. 

“Fine.” Keith said, running down to the end of the field. He had some difficulty holding onto the broom and running at the same time, but Lance gave him a moment to adjust before throwing it to him.

Keith just barely managed to grab hold of the ball one-handed. Still running, he threw the ball back at Lance…who promptly dropped it on the ground. Keith stopped running and impatiently waited for Lance to retrieve the ball and throw it back…except he threw it about 10 feet in front of Keith instead. “Really?” Keith said, like he’d done it on purpose.

Lance kinda wished he HAD done it on purpose. That would be less embarrassing, “What? I’m a beater not a chaser. When I throw the ball people aren’t SUPPOSED to catch it.”

“Beaters throw the ball away from someone?” Keith said, retrieving the ball and throwing it back to Lance. This time Lance did manage to grab it, curling it into his chest, “What kind of a sport is that?”

“Shut up!” He said as Keith ran behind the hoops. Lance missed the shot, the quaffle soaring just left of center hoop, but Keith still managed to catch it. 

“Okay!” Allura said, “Lets move right into Keeper drills, shall we?”

Keeper drills were fairly similar to chaser drills, except with less running. Instead they got in a line, and each of them in turn tried to block the hoops. 

Lance was ecstatic to see Keith did not fair well as a keeper. He could run between the side hoops easily enough, but all anyone had to do was aim for the center hoop and he could only jump at it, still missing the center hoop’s height by inches. Lance aimed for center hoop. 

Of course, Lance didn’t do much better. Long ago, he had demanded never to be made keeper for a game. Hunk insisted he wasn’t as bad as he thought, but after the 5th ball soared past him into the goal, he was officially discouraged. 

Shay, meanwhile, did marvelously. After swatting away Hunk’s quaffle shot like a fly, she had jumped up giddily, and Lance had to admit she was adorable. He thought for about 2 seconds trying another line on her, when he saw Hunk blushing. Well, well, well, THAT was definitely something to bring up with his roommate later.

“Alright, alright, Allura,” Lance said, cricking his neck and taking out the bludgers, “You’ve had your turn, and now it’s mine.” She motioned for him to continue. “These, are your bludgers. They may look like slightly deflated dodgeballs, but they are bludgers, and they all have names. We will be going over said names later, and you will be expected to memorize them. There will be a test.” Allura rolled her eyes as he picked up one of the bludgers and motioned for Hunk to stand up beside him. 

“Beating is probably one of the most different aspects of the game from the movie. For one, no bats, you just throw the bludgers like in dodgeball. And there are THREE bludgers on the field, not two. That usually breaks down to each side getting at least one bludger, and then they fight over the last one, and if you get two bludgers on your team, that means you have bludger control.”

Lance gave his instructions mostly to Pidge and Shay, despite the fact Keith was the one who actually looked vaguely interested. “If you get hit with a bludger,” Lance bounced the ball off Hunk’s arm, and it landed safely back in his own hands, “Then you have to dismount, and touch your team’s hoops before you can resume play. Oh, and you have to DROP any balls your holding. DROP. Not throw. That’s a pet peeve of mine.

“If you’re a beater, then you could potentially catch the bludger. If you catch it, you’re not out. If the bludger bounces off the ground and hits you, you’re not out. If, however, it ricochets off another person and hits you, you’re out. If you’re hit by your own teammate, you’re NOT out, but please, if you hit your own teammate, yell friendly fire or something.” He then motions on Hunk, “Please only aim below the neck, concussions do happen in this game and they’re not fun.” Lance drums his fingers on the ball, “There are a few more rules and some tips, but we can go into that later. For now, lets do one of my favorite drills:” His face broke into a wide smile, “Firing squad.”

He had the team line up parallel to the fence at the edge of the field, each holding a bludger. “Lance, are you sure about this?” Hunk said, “Firing squad tends to be a bit scary for hew players.”

“Hunk, please,” Lance said, handing him the last bludger, “This doubles both as a drill to improve aim AND to get people used to the idea of being hit with bludgers. It’s a win-win!” He said.

Hunk still looked dubious, but Lance brushed him off. In fairness, he wasn’t going to make them go through something he wasn’t, so he stood against the fence first. “So, I’m going to run past you all, and you all are going to try and hit me.”

He runs through, stopping and starting to avoid the hits. Allura manages to hit him in the legs, but he was proud that he dodged Shiro’s shot. Of course, that didn’t stop the pain when the red ball hit him directly in the stomach. He looked up to see Keith pick the ball back up, and glared at him. Lance balled his hands in his fists but restrained himself from saying anything, lest he REALLY bring about the wrath of Allura.

“Lucky shot,” He murmured.

He had the veterans all go next, so that the new players didn’t feel as scared when they came up. He took pride in the fact he managed to hit each of them in turn, though Shiro and Allura managed not to get hit by anyone else. Matt attempted to dodge by leaping like a ballerina, but ended up getting hit with more bludgers than if he had just run. Hunk, despite being a beater and presumably used to getting hit with bludgers, simply covered his eyes and charged forward, not even attempting to dodge.

Then it came for the new players. Now, they had each seen different styles of running through, right? So you would think, or Lance thought at least, that they would try running like Shiro, or Allura, or himself, stopping and starting. No. Instead, Pidge and Shay decided to take Hunk’s approach to getting through, covering their faces and running. And Keith…

Keith didn’t get hit by a single bludger. 

He started running, and then accelerated in bursts, so that even Lance’s shot ended up bouncing off the fence behind him.

Lance was boiling. He wanted to explode, but he could feel Allura’s eyes on him. “WELL then,” He said through gritted teeth, “That’s what being a beater is, I guess.”

Allura looked at her watch. “Alright, lets quickly go through seeking rules and then we’ll pack up and go to dinner, alright?” She patted Lance’s back, “Why don’t you get the shorts?”

Lance’s mood immediately perked up, and he ran over to the equipment bag. He heard Allura explaining things to the new players, “So, we don’t have a tiny little flying snitch for our games, but we do have people like Lance, or snitch runners. They get released near the end of the game, and they run around wearing that brilliant fashion statement Lance is shimmying into.” 

Lance flipped her off as he put on the bright yellow shorts. She snorted at him, but otherwise didn’t pay attention. “Once they’re released, they have a minute to run around, and then the seekers come running after them. Whichever team grabs the snitch, Lance, shake it,” Lance turned around to shake the tennis ball in a yellow sock velcroed to the back of his waistband, “Gets 30 points for their team and ends the game.”

Pidge raised a hand, “Not 150 points?”

“No,” Allura said, “Rowling doesn’t know math, so here we are.” She checked her watch again, “New players, why don’t you all try and take the snitch from Lance, while the rest of us pack up. Lance, how long of a headstart do you want?”

Immediately after, Lance took off into the field, “CATCH ME IF YOU CAN, SUCKERS!” 

Seconds later he heard the sounds of feet following him. He risked a look and saw Pidge and Shay doing their bests, but trailing at a significant distance. Keith, on the other hand, was practically on his tail, hand reaching out for the snitch.

Lance whipped around changing directions and running backwards. Keith didn’t hesitate to change with him, gaining fast. Lance tripped and fell on his back, “Wait!” He called before Keith could dive in for the win, “I get 3 seconds after falling like that. So,” He jumped up and ran again, “3, 2, go!” And Keith was immediately on his tail again. 

So, he wanted to play like that? Fine. There was more to snitching than speed. Lance waited until Keith was directly behind him, and turned around grabbing onto Keith’s shoulders and pushing him back. 

Keith first tries to push forward, to knock Lance’s hands out of the way, but Lance was prepared. He used leverage against Keith, grappling and pushing back. Keith tried disengaging and attacking from another side, but Lance grappled him again.

Pidge and Shay had seemed to give up, sitting on the grass and watching as Keith and Lance battled it out. They pushed back on each other, glaring at one another. Lance smirked, finally finding something he was better at than the great Keith.

Keith squinted at him, trying to size him up. Before Lance could react, Keith dropped down and reached through Lance’s legs. Lance yelped as Keith grabbed hold of the snitch—and a handful of Lance’s ass.

Keith pulled away like he had been electrocuted, pulling the snitch away with a rip. He stood in shock as Lance fell over on his back again. “I-I’m sorry,” Keith said, blushing, “I didn’t mean to, I just—“

“It’s fine,” Lance said pushing himself up off the ground. 

“Seriously?” Keith said, “You were mad at me just for showing up, but when I—uh—your—“

“Ass-grabbing is a part of the snitching experience.” Lance said, “What, you embarrassed?” Keith glowered at him. “Look, between the legs is a valid strategy for seeking, and you caught me by surprise: once. Don’t expect me to go so easy on you next practice.” 

Keith returned to his sour demeanor, “Say whatever you gotta say to make yourself feel better.”

Pidge and Shay looked up from the conversation they seemed to be having, “Oh, you guys are done?”

“Yeah,” Lance said, “With no help from either of you.”

He felt a little bad ribbing Shay, but Pidge seemed to pick up on the teasing right away. “What? I’m not going to try and match Usain Bolt’s twin over here.” They nodded at Keith, who shrugged nonchalantly.

Lance snatched the snitch out of Keith’s hand and reattached it to his waistband, “Tip for if you’re ever seeking again: When the snitch is kinda engaged in a grapple like I was earlier, it can be easier for the other team’s seeker to sneak up behind and grab the snitch without having to be a fast runner.”

Pidge nodded, “Got it: When you’re engaged with Keith, sneak up on you from behind.”

Yup. This was Matt’s sibling alright. “That is NOT what I said!” Lance screamed at them before they skipped off to join the rest of the team, who had just finished putting everything away.

 

“So!” Allura said, over dinner, “Have you three thought about what position you’d want to main as?” 

“Keeper, definitely,” Shay said, putting her hoop earrings back in, “It was a lot of fun!”

“I’m glad!” Allura said, “You did really well in that today.”

Lance smirked, “You should work more with Hunk,” he suggested, patting his best friend on the back, “He’s a real keeper.”

Hunk stepped on Lance’s foot under the table, and he just barely managed to keep himself from making any noise, “Shiro’s a great keeper too,” Hunk said, “And Allura.”

“Still,” Shay said, “I bet you could show me a thing or two.” Hunk hung his head so no one but Lance could see the pink dusting his face.

“Well, I wanna be a chaser,” Pidge said.

“Yeah!” Matt said, lifting his hand up to high-five, “Holt-Gunderson kids at it again!”

Pidge rolled their eyes and high-fived Matt. Shiro turned to Keith, “Keith? You given any thought?”

Keith shrugged his shoulders, “Seeker, I guess.” He said, then ate more of his soup.

Lance raised his eyebrow at that, grinding his teeth. Seeker was HIS position. Sometimes Allura when he was tired. In fairness, beater was also his, but—“Excellent!” Allura said, “I saw you running, you’re fast. That’s good.”

“Speed isn’t EVERYTHING in seeking,” Lance mumbled.

As she so-often did, Allura ignored Lance, “We do practice so everyone is proficient in ALL positions, though. We’re a small team, and you never know when you have to pickup someone else’s position.” Lance snorted, “Lance, I can already hear your comment about ‘positions’ so I’d like to politely ask you to stuff it.” Lance snorted harder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I meant to do this for last chapter but remember when I said this story is based on true ones? Very true. For instance:  
> \--The title and Allura's shirt slogan "Because Hogwarts doesn't accept FAFSA" is unfortunately not a line I made up but one on a team that our team played with a lot  
> \--the rules are all up to date as of the last time I played, which was last year. The rules do change a lot, though....  
> \--Accidental groping does happen a lot. And has happened to me several times. People were pretty much always pretty respectful about it, though, from what I know.  
> \--I, like Lance, had all the bludgers named, and forced new players to learn said names.   
> \--I, like Lance, like to run Firing Squad as an introductory drill. A lot of my players don't like it. They stopped doing it after I graduated, to which I say they are losing valuable training.  
> \--I, like Lance, cannot Keep to save my life. Unlike Lance, I cannot SEEK to save my life either. I've chased a few times, but in my heart I'm a beater.  
> \--the ending of the previous sentiment is really hard to explain out of context.


	3. Mouthguards

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance continue not to get along, while Hunk and Pidge learn more about Keith.

**Allura Prince**

Welcome new players! This is our ATQ facebook group where we discuss any issues or upcoming events! Please take some time to review the linked rulebook and make sure to fill out the forms.

Also: for both new and old players, there’s new rules for equipment in our league, we’re all going to need to get mouthguards and wear them to games, so you’ll all need your own.

            **Lance McAwesome** Mouthguards? Seriously? Why the hell do we need mouthguards?

            **Allura Prince** The league thought they were necessary for player’s safety

            **Lance McAwesome** Oh please! I’ve never even heard of someone losing teeth from playing.

            **Keith Kogane** It’s a full contact sport, right? So, mouthguards make sense.

            **Lance McAwesome** Look, you’ve never actually played in a GAME so I’ll excuse that, but know from someone who knows what they’re talking about we don’t need it.

            **Keith Kogane** Weren’t you talking about how concussions happen in games?

            **Lance McAwesome** Mouthguards!!!can’t!!!!stop!!!concussions!!!!!

           **Keith Kogane** So what, you would prefer helmets?

            **Lance McAwesome** Oh my GOD I’m not going to start wearing helmets to play QUIDDITCH what the hell

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** No one’s making anyone play with a helmet, guys. And its part of the rules now so we have to follow through no matter what we think.

            **Lance McAwesome** Look, I’m not just complaining to be an asshole here

            **Keith Kogane** Oh, but you do it so well

            **Lance McAwesome** >:( dude! Leave off! I’m serious. First off, no way Altea’s gonna approve of funding it, which means players have to pay for their own out of pocket.

           **Keith Kogane** I guess that’s a reasonable argument…

            **Lance McAwesome** Plus how the hell am I going to taunt the other players when I’ve got a mouthguard in!

            **Keith Kogane** Aaaand you ruined it

            **Lance McAwesome** taunting is a very important part of the Quidditch experience, mullet. That’s how I make friends while playing!

            **Keith Kogane** First, mullet? Really? Second, maybe you’d be more successful at focusing on the GAME instead of trying to make friends with people.

            **Lance McAwesome** Look just because SOME of us don’t have friends doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t have fun.

 **“Hunk” Garrett** Whoa, guys, can we maybe not flame in the fb group?

            **Lance McAwesome** The whole point of Quidditch is to have fun.

            **Keith Kogane** But it’s a sport, right? Shouldn’t you play to, you know, win?

            **Lance McAwesome** Why can’t you win while having fun?

         **Keith Kogane** You know what I find fun? Winning.

            **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** This post is a trainwreck

            **Lance McAwesome** And how exactly do you plan on winning when you’ve never played before, Keith?

            **Keith Kogane** Well, I thought maybe taking things seriously would be a good start.

            **Lance McAwesome** Oh yes, playing fancy wizard sport, is very serious. Putting on our serious face.

            **Keith Kogane** Weren’t you the one complaining at dinner about how long it took for Altea to declare the group a club sport instead of an ‘interest group’?

            **Lance McAwesome** It IS a sport!

            **Keith Kogane** Then why not take it seriously?

            **Lance McAwesome** If it’s not fun what’s the point!

            **Matthew Holt** LANCE WE HAVE MONEY IN THE BUDGET TO PAY FOR EVERYONE’S MOUTHGUARDS CALM THE FUCK DOWN

            **Lance McAwesome** Complaint withdrawn

            **Keith Kogane** Finally

            **Lance McAwesome** STUFF IT KEITH

            **Allura Prince** I COME BACK LATE FROM WORK AND FIND MY GODDAMN NOTIFICATIONS BLOWN UP WITH THIS WHAT THE HELL YOU TWO WE’RE SUPPOSED TO BE A TEAM AND YOU WILL GODDAMN ACT LIKE IT

            **Keith Kogane** Sorry Allura

            **Lance McAwesome** Sorry Allura

 

“Lets do some scrimmaging!” Allura said, after warm-ups and some chaser drills.

 

“Uh…” Lance said, looking at the team gathered, “We barely have enough people for ONE team, let alone 2 against each other.”

 

Allura rolled her eyes, “It’ll be 4-on-4, and we’ll rotate positions around so everyone gets a shot. Each team gets a keeper, a beater, and two chasers. We’ll play to 50 points, then switch around.”

 

Lance started as a beater, because of course he did. “Hey, Allura,” Hunk said, “I was wondering if I could get some more keeper practice, I really wanna get better at hoop blocking.”

 

Sure he did, Lance thought. It had nothing to do with the fact he wanted to show off going up against Shay, who was playing as the opposite team’s Keeper. Hunk was still firmly denying any semblance of a crush on her, no matter how much Lance teased him.

 

“Sure thing, Hunk,” Allura said, “Who else wants to be beater?” She asked the team.

 

Lance had been assuming Allura herself would play as beater. She was good at pretty much every position and would pick up any slack left behind. But, he supposed she wanted to give someone else a chance. “I’ll do it.”

 

Lance looked up in shock. Someone else OTHER THAN FREAKING KEITH!

 

“Great!” Allura said, “Balls set up in the middle, everyone, brooms down.”

 

Each side lined up opposite one another. Lance crouched, broom laying between his legs, directly in front of the bludger. The bludger was Mo, the blue one. His favorite. It had the perfect grip for holding and throwing left handed, plus, it was blue. Across the way, Keith was crouched as well, in runners pose.

 

“Ready?” Allura called, “Brooms up!”

 

Lance grabbed his broom and took off for the center of the field, but by the time he got ¾ of the way there, Keith had already scooped the ball up and held it under his arm.

 

Lance scowled, and didn’t break stride as he ran forward, slamming into Keith before he had a chance to throw the ball at any of his teammates.

 

Keith reeled backwards, not expecting it. Lance took advantage of his confusion to get a grip on the bludger. Keith spun, trying to fling Lance off of it, but Lance held tight. “Get off!” Keith said.

 

“You get off!” Lance said back. He had terrible leverage as he tried to jerk the ball out of Keith’s grasp, but as long as he held onto it, Keith couldn’t throw it.

 

“I’m the one actually HOLDING it,” Keith said back.

 

“Shut up!”

 

Keith tried to drop low, swerving away from Lance, but he knew that strategy and held on anyways, following Keith down to the ground.

 

Keith was curled around the bludger like an armadillo, while Lance had his arm trapped between Keith and the ground. His broom was sticking into Keith’s back ad he curled over him, head on Keith’s shoulder as he tried to at least see the bludger he was fighting for, breathing heavily into Keith’s ear.

 

Lance didn’t realize how long they were fighting until they heard Allura’s whistle.

 

Reluctantly, Lance let go and stood up, Keith following him, with the bludger stubbornly tucked under his arm. Everyone else had stopped playing and was watching the two of them. “What?”

 

“We finished the scrimmage,” Shiro said.

 

“No thanks to either of you,” Matt continued.

 

Lance blinked, surprised. Looking at Keith, he was equally surprised. “Let’s rotate positions,” Allura said, “And guys, no more beater wars. Please.”

 

“Hey, Beater wars are an important part of the game,” Lance said, “At least I stopped him from beating any of our players.”

 

“And you couldn’t beat any of his.” Allura said, “It’s a stalemate tactic and its useless. Now move.”

 

They rotated, and Lance ended up as beater again, while Keith was chaser. Lance got the bludger easily, despite Shay’s best efforts. He threw it at Keith, and missed. Shay couldn’t get to the ball in time, so Lance grabbed it again, throwing it once again at Keith as he ran down the field. He missed.

 

He couldn’t hit Keith once in all of their rotations and ended up fuming his way through dinner.

 

 

“Hey! Keith!” Hunk called at lunch, waving at him.

 

“Dude, what are you DOING?” Lance snarled at him.

 

“Oh, would you stuff the weird jealousy for like 2 seconds?” Pidge said. They had taken to sitting with them, apparently knowing Hunk from some mechanical engineering class. “Keith’s a cool dude.”

 

Lance would have responded, but at that point, Keith came up. “What’s up?” He asked Hunk, pointedly refusing to look at Lance.

 

“Nothing’s up,” Hunk said, “Just wondering if you wanted to sit with us at lunch.”

 

Keith blinked, considering Hunk’s offer. He looked at Lance for a second. “This…isn’t some kind of joke, right?”

 

“Oh my god, this isn’t Mean Girls,” Pidge said, “If it helps convince you, Lance is against this.”

 

It apparently did help convince him, as he slid next to Pidge with his plate of food. Lance stabbed his crouton with a little more force than necessary, cracking it in half. “So, Keith,” Hunk said, ignoring Lance as well, “Shiro said he knows you through some mixed martial arts thing. Is that a class or a club?”

 

Keith ate, still apparently hesitant, “It’s a class. I was able to skip to the advanced section cause I did some in high school.”

 

“Of course you were,” Lance muttered just loud enough to be heard. Since Allura wasn’t there to glare Lance into politeness, Pidge and Hunk took up the slack.

 

“That’s awesome,” Hunk said, “Quidditch is the only sport I do. I needed some way of keeping fit, and Quidditch is low-key enough that I trick myself into staying healthy.”

 

“Same,” Pidge said, “Well, I also do it for Matt. But it actually is fun. First one to tell Matt that I said that has his computer hacked.”

 

All three of them put their hands up in surrender to Pidge’s statement. “I…actually also do fencing.”

 

“No way!” Hunk said, “That’s so cool! Damn, you’re like…a sword-fighting ninja.”  
Lance scowled further. “I definitely want you on my side if I’m ever walking down a dark alley.”

 

Hunk’s endless endearing charm was infectious, and seemed to get even Keith to open up just a bit, “Well, I mean, I don’t use an actual sword. It’s all designed so you don’t get hurt beyond some particularly colorful bruises.”

 

“Can I see?” Pidge said, excitedly. Keith blinked at her in surprise.

 

“Pidge,” Hunk admonished, “He doesn’t have to show us if he doesn’t want to.”

 

“Uh, it’s alright,” Keith said, “Here I got one on my collarbone the other day.” He pulled his shirt down low enough to expose it. Even Lance looked up to see.

 

Pidge whistled low, “That is a pretty purple,” they said. Keith smirked, letting his shirt cover him again. “Well, we bow to you, actual athletic one.”

 

“Hey!” Lance protested, “I’m athletic!”

 

“Really?” Keith said, his voice somewhere between mocking and actual curiosity, “What sports do you play?”

 

Lance squinted, “Well, I did soccer as a kid.” He said, swallowing, “And I was on a swimming team in high school. I would have kept it up, but the Altea Swim team will eat your life. And I do not have time for that.”

 

“Why don’t you swim when the pool has open hours?” Pidge asked.

 

Lance rolled his eyes at them. “I WOULD if they had, like, human open hours,” Lance said, “but its only at like, 6 in the morning. Which is basically not even a real time.”

 

“I’m up at 6,” Keith said. Lance glared at him. “What? I am. It’s good for going on a morning jog.”

 

“Damn,” Pidge said, “Jogging, Martial Arts, Fencing AND Quidditch. You SURE you’re not some kind of alien? I’m totally pro-alien, by the way, so don’t worry.”

 

Keith actually snorted. Lance wondered for a second if he had actually heard Keith laugh before, “Nah, the schedule all fits together. Quidditch is Tuesday/Thursday, Fencing is Monday/Wednesday/Friday. So it all works out.” He takes another bite of lunch. “I am also pro-alien, though.”

 

Pidge actually gasped and grabbed onto Keith’s arm, thoroughly surprising him, “Shut up! You believe in aliens?”

 

Keith raised an eyebrow, “Uh…yeah, of course I do. Like, there’s more than enough evidence to prove there’s at least SOMETHING up.”

 

“Oh my god,” Lance said, clutching his forehead, “You’re a conspiracy theorist.”

 

“Ignore the heathen,” Pidge said, enraptured, “The two of them won’t listen to me when I talk about this kind of stuff.”

 

“I listened!” Hunk said, “And…I mean, I mean, just cause I don’t think any have landed on Earth…” He trailed off as Pidge and Keith excitedly exchanged information from various cryptid websites.

 

Lance looked at Hunk, motioning at Keith and muttering quietly, “Look at this. You’re seeing this right?”

 

Hunk shrugged, “He’s still cool.” Lance rolled his eyes and finished his salad.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real things:  
> Okay, while they weren't on the same team, there were some pretty epic facebook wars that I am...very very tired of but they will serve a purpose in life by inspiring me for a fanfic.  
> Also I don't understand the need for mouthguards either but whatever.   
> I have also done fencing, but I didn't stick with it in college long.   
> Beater wars are definitely things that I have done a lot. And they get....interesting.


	4. Opening Tournament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith, Shay, and Pidge go to their first tournament!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm still working on the other fics I have going I swear but this is the one the muse is letting me work on.

**Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane**

Hey guys! Opening tournament is THIS WEEKEND. Remember to bring your jersey if you have one, and if you don’t, we have spares. We’re meeting at 6 am down at the field, and we’ll take 2 cars down. Lance, are you still up for being our second car?

 

 **Keith Kogane** Lance doesn’t believe 6 am is a real time.

 **Lance McAwesome** It’s not, but with enough coffee and loud music I can make believe just about anything, even this mystical “6 am”

 **Lance McAwesome** And yeah, me and New Blue will be there. Just because I love Quidditch so dang much.

 **Allura Prince** Your sacrifice is noted.

 **Keith Kogane** Dare I ask what happened to ‘Old’ blue?

 **Lance McAwesome** Are you implying something about my driving?

 **Keith Kogane** Yes

 **Lance McAwesome** Rude!

 **“Hunk” Garrett** It’s alright, Keith. Ole blue is his broom, he had it before he got his grandfathers old car, thus, ole blue, new blue.

 **Keith Kogane** What’s the point of naming everything ‘blue?’

            **Keith Kogane** Not that I ever really understood the point of naming cars and things anyway

            **Lance McAwesome** Keith’s not invited in my car.

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** First off, I don’t see what’s so wrong with naming cars. Midnight would take offense if she could hear you, Keith.

            **Keith Kogane** While you’re a little weird, I would not mean to offend you, Shiro.

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** Second…uh…this is awkward, but I kinda already had it planned out who was in who’s car. And…well…

            **Lance McAwesome** Shiro No!

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** Sorry! Matt and Allura have permanent spots in my car, and I was assuming Pidge would want to ride with their brother.

            **Lance McAwesome** Pidge, you don’t want to ride with stinky old Matt, right? You would much rather take Keith’s place.

            **Matthew Holt** Excuse you, the Holt/Gunderson kids are close as buttcheeks, ya ain’t separating us.

            **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** Well now I DEFINITELY don’t want to ride with Matt…

            **Matthew Holt** BETRAYAL

            **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** But I do want to ride with Keith, he’s my alien bro. Alien bro is better than regular bro.

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** I dunno…my car will technically fit 5 people, but it won’t be comfortable. I still feel like it makes more sense if we did 4 and 4.

            **Shay Balmera** I’d be willing to ride in your car, Shiro, if Keith and Pidge want to ride in Lance’s.

            **“Hunk Garrett** You don’t have to do that, Shay, they’re all just squabbling and being petty.

            **Shay Balmera** Really, its fine.

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** Alright then, its settled, Car 1 will be me, Allura, Matt, and Shay, Car 2 will be Lance, Hunk, Pidge, and Keith. NO MORE FIGHTING ON THIS.

 

“ **Hunk” Garrett-- > Lance McAwesome**

 

I blame you for this

 

_You know what’s funny?_

_You protesting not being able to sit with Shay when you have told me 24 times you don’t have a crush on her_

 

UGGGH

 

_Hey, this isn’t what I wanted either, Bucko_

I still blame you.

 

 

“New Blue rules,” Lance said to the occupants of his car, “#1, All seatbelts must be buckled at all times, I ain’t going against Johnny Law for any of you. #2 There will be no food or other fluids on the seats unless you want to be fined for the damages.”

 

“’Other fluids,’ eh?” Pidge said, making quotation marks with their fingers.

 

“Shut up, you’re like 12,” Lance said, starting the car.

 

“Oh, so you and them are the same age,” Keith said, leaning back.

 

“Okay, first off,” Lance said, “I’m only 12 on a scale of 1-10. Second, shut up Freshman.” He pulled out of the parking lot.

 

He could see Keith rolling his eyes in his rearview mirror. “How many times do I have to say I took a gap year? I’m the same age as you.”

 

“You’re still probably younger,” Lance said, grumpy.

 

Keith shrugged, “Birthday’s April 14th. You?”

 

Lance ground his teeth. “April 15th.” Pidge let out a laugh that may have been louder than necessary. “Shut it, Gremlin.” Pidge stuck their tongue out at him.

 

Hunk cleared his throat, “Lance? You were going over the rules for New Blue.”

 

“Right!” He said, “Thank you, Hunk, my one true friend in the world. Rule #3, driver decides what we listen to.” He pushed the radio button, then attempted to skip channels with one hand, switching lanes with the other.

 

Hunk swatted his hand away. “Rule #4, the navigator will be responsible of the controls. Just tell me what you want.”

 

Lance waved his hand, indicating Hunk skip the current channel, some kind of talk show. They switched over several channels, most early morning talk shows, a few classical channels, and a lot that were too static-y. Hunk was about to switch again, when Lance held up his hand, “Wait a sec.”

 

He listened for a second before Keith interrupted. “Bagpipe music? I wouldn’t have pegged you for—“

 

“Shh!” Lance said, “I know this song.” They were silent for a moment longer, listening to the melody, when Lance said, “OH MY GOD ITS ‘WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.’”

 

“What?” All three of the others said, listening more intently.

 

“Yeah, listen, the chorus is coming up,” Lance said. At the appropriate moment he sung along with the bagpipe melody, “Weeeee are the champions…my friends…”

 

Hunk came in with a “Dunana dunana!”

 

“And weeeeee’ll keep on fighting…till the end.”

 

Pidge joined Hunk for a “Dunana Na”

 

“C’mon guys, Weee are the Champions,” Hunk and Pidge came in for “WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS.”

 

“No time for loooosers,” Lance sang, “Cause we are the champions…” He pointed at Keith, “Finish us off, Keith.”

 

Keith sighed, but Hunk and Pidge looked expectant. Finally, he sang, “Of the wooooooorld.”

 

The others cheered. Lance was surprised to hear Keith had a surprisingly good voice. He guessed Keith must do everything perfectly, the bastard. They sang the rest of the song and listened to the next one. They were all bagpipe covers of rock songs, some of which they knew and sang along to, some of which they just laughed at.

 

When the bagpipe hour ended, they found a station with generic pop songs. Hunk and Lance belted out the lyrics, while Pidge and Keith quietly mocked them, and talking to themselves every once in a while. Lance would often flip them off and curse them out, but even then, it didn’t ruin his mood.

 

The arrived at Galra U in good spirits. Shiro’s car was already there, and they just barely managed to snag the spot next to it. Suck it Arus College Van, Lance got there first. That’s a lie, he liked the Arus College team.

 

Pidge and Keith looked around surprised at the gathered teams as they made their way to where Matt and Shay were sitting, claiming a spot in the corner. Shiro and Allura seemed to be talking to someone with a clipboard. “All the teams have so many more people than we do…” Pidge said, looking at the gathered groups of teams in similar uniforms.

 

“Yeah,” Lance said, “We’re still a relatively new team, so, not as many players.”

 

“How new?” Keith asked. Hunk and Lance exchanged awkward glances. “How. New?”

 

“Uhh…Last year?” Lance said, shrugging.

 

Keith blinked at him. “Have you ever even won?”

 

“You know, we’re working steadily towards that eventual goal.” Lance said, awkwardly scratching the back of his head.

 

Keith stared at him astonished. “So, what you’re telling me is we’re literally bottom of the league here?”

 

“Look, I told you,” Lance said, “This whole thing is more about fun than winning.”

 

When they got to their spot, Matt tossed Pidge and Keith black and white shirts, “I guessed your sizes, try ‘em on.” They pulled the shirts over their heads. On the back in place of names was just ‘Altea.’ “You can order personalized ones later, but these’ll do for now.”

 

“What, just with our last names?” Pidge asked.

 

“Sure,” Lance said, “If you want to be BORING,” he said, and then turned, wearing his own jersey to show the back of his jersey, “BAM!” The back read ‘Weasley 07.’

 

“Your name is…Lance Weasley?” Keith asked.

 

Lance turned back and glared at him. “I know you haven’t read the books, but please tell me you at least know who Ron Weasley is.”

 

Keith shrugged, “I assume one of the main characters?”

 

Lance took a deep, cleansing breath, “You know, this is the opening tournament, and I’m not going to let you get to me.” Keith rolled his eyes.

 

At that point, Allura and Shiro walked over, “Alright team,” Allura said, holding a clipboard with a pen and paper. “We don’t play until the second round, so we’ll be reffing this round. I’ll take position as head ref, with my trusty whistle,” She swung it on her neck. “Lance, I assume you’ll be snitch?” Lance nodded eagerly, already diving into the equipment bag for the snitch shorts. “Great, you’ll have to ref yourself, we have just barely enough for a full reffing team.”

 

“Can do!” Lance said, taking an array of things out of his bag, including a pair of children’s fairy wings, a plastic tiara with chipped pink paint, and a comically large bowtie. Keith stared at him incredulous.

 

Allura barely took notice, “Great. Shiro, Hunk, assistant refs. Matt, scorekeeper, Keith, timekeeper. Shay, Pidge, you can be goal refs, just stand at the ends and motion if the quaffle went through or not.”

 

They got set up, Lance sitting with Matt and Keith at the edge of the field. Keith took out his phone and set up his stopwatch, ready when Allura was. Keith gave Lance a once-over dressed in his strange get-up. “So…being a snitch requires you to dress like a fairy princess?”

 

Lance rolls his eyes as Allura yells ‘Brooms up!’, Keith starts the timer, and the red and blue teams run to clash with each other. “I’ll have you know, Keitheroni, that this getup is crucial for my duties as snitch.”

 

“Keitheroni?” Keith asked, disbelieving.

 

“I’m trying something. Go with it. Anyway, While a snitch’s job is to be someone who makes it challenging for a seeker to catch, it is ALSO incredibly important to entertain the crowd!”

 

Keith looked around. There were a couple of other teams that weren’t playing this round here, and a few people (clearly families) sitting on the sidelines in folding chairs, but it wasn’t exactly a full auditorium. “Uh…huh.”

 

“Look, I keep telling you,” Lance said, “Quidditch is FUN. Aren’t sports supposed to be fun? That’s why its called ‘playing,’ right?”

 

Keith sighed and nodded at the red team, “They seem to be taking this seriously.” The red captain was shouting orders and encouragements to his team on the field, while the team themselves moved down the field in formation, clearly well-practiced.

 

Lance gave a half-shrug. “I mean, I get having plays to go through, but that guy needs some serious chill,” he nods at the captain, “I prefer this team’s strategy,” he points over to the blue team. Their substitute players were on the outer edge, shouting encouragements and singing songs to their players on the field. The players themselves were grinning broadly and trying out tricks to make themselves look cool, like dunking the top hoop, or beating someone behind their back. Lance laughed as their chaser attempted to matrix-dodge a bludger. He failed, but it was still funny.

 

“They would be better if they focused up,” Keith said.

 

“Um, excuse you, check the score.” Keith leaned over to where Matt sat, recording the goals as they came. The score read 20-20.

 

Keith huffed, “It’s still early in the game.”

 

At that point, Matt cleared his throat beside them, making them once again aware of his presence, “Pardon me for intruding, but it sounds like the two of you are at the beginning of a good old fashioned bet.”

 

Lance grinned, “I’m game. $20 on YMU.”

 

“Who?” Keith asked.

 

Lance rolled his eyes, “The BLUE team, Keith. God, keep up.”

 

“This is my first tournament, how was I supposed to know?” He sighed, “And I’m not betting against you, you’re the snitch, you could try and help them out.”

 

Lance put a hand to his chest, accused, “Are you impugning on my HONOR sir?”

 

“How about this,” Matt butt in, “You bet on the score just before snitch catch. Deal?”

 

Keith sighed. “Fine.” And shook on it. Matt beamed and kindly offered to hold onto each of their money while the game played out. Lance was suddenly worried if Matt had a secret life as a bookie.

 

Keith and Lance watched the game avidly, quietly rooting for each team. They were still reffing, so didn’t try and make their support evident, but subtle grins at one another did well enough.

 

Finally, Lance looked at Keith’s stopwatch. “Oh, shoot, call the seekers in.”

 

Keith did as instructed, and a red and blue member of each team came to stand by them as Lance got up. He did a couple of motivating hops in place to get his blood flowing, then watched for Keith to give the signal. “Aaand go.” Keith said.

 

Lance took off down the center of the field with a grin over his shoulder, before he did a cartwheel. A few of the parents watching clapped, and he gave them an appreciative salute. He continued doing basic gymnastics as Keith shook his head in disbelief. He was so distracted he almost missed the cue to send the seekers out.

 

Lance grabbed one of the charging seekers shoulders and used her as a shield to block the second one. He continued to make exaggerated faces and even somersaulted out of the way a couple of times, bending he wings on his back. He waved at the audience and gave the players high fives, much to the enjoyment of everyone around.

 

Lance paused at a noise. A strange noise. He turned around to make sure what he was hearing was correct, staring at Keith who stared back, and was grinning widely, clearly laughing at him. Lance blinked as his chest seized up and his mind went blank.

 

He was pulled back to reality when he felt a hand on his butt and the sound of Velcro. He looked and saw the blue team’s seeker, snitch in hand. Allura blew her whistle. “Lance, was it good?”

 

Lance blinked. He had no idea, he hadn’t been paying attention, but… “Yeah, yeah, it was good.”

 

She blew her whistle three times, confirming the end of the game. With the snitch catch, the final score was 120-100…but minus the snitch catch, the blue team only had 90 points. Keith smirked from the sidelines as Matt handed him the money he had held for the both of them.

 

Lance grimaced at him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter they play their first game!
> 
> Real things
> 
> We really did once come across a bagpipe cover of We are the Champions for an early morning drive. It was amazing. 
> 
> Lance's costume is not out of the ordinary for snitches, though not all of them dress up or go to the lengths Lance does, but Lance is special. 
> 
> People do use harry potter names for their jerseys. My jersey read "Granger"
> 
> Lance's rules for his car are the rules for my car. I drove for my last two years in Quidditch.


	5. Opening Tournament Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Altea Quidditch plays their first two games

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content warning for some misgendering,

“Ready?” The referee called. Lance got into runners position. “Brooms up!”

He grabbed his broom and took off. This wasn’t like their mini 4-on-4 games back on Yelmier fields, this was the real deal, and he was ready for it. He gunned towards the bludger, facing off against Arus U’s beater. He was fast, and managed to grab onto it—just for the Arus beater to kick it out of his hand. 

The beater in question gave Lance a half shrug and a smile, rushing to where he had kicked the ball to pick it up. Lance lunged for it, but the beater, larger than him, held him back with one arm, and beat him with the other. 

Sighing, Lance dismounted his broom and retreated to his hoops. Truth be told he couldn’t ever be mad at the Arus team. They were fun-loving, happy people Lance got along with great, not to mention they had helped get the Altea team off the ground*. Not to mention, Lance couldn’t really expect any different. Arus’ team had been around for a good deal longer than Altea’s and they had over twice the amount of players Altea did, they were far better. 

He made it back to his hoops and re-mounted. Arus had already scored their first goal against them, and Shay was looking disappointed in herself. Shiro had the quaffle now, and was leading Allura and Matt in perfect formation down the pitch.

Keith was left behind, playing beater at the moment, bludger tucked under his arm. Lance should be upset, but Keith didn’t have to fight for it like Lance did. “Stay back and guard the hoops,” Lance instructed, doing a mental tally on the opposing beaters. They were going after their chasers. 

“What?” Keith asked, “I’m beater, not keeper.”

Lance sighed, exasperated, “I’ll make this real simple. Those chaser’s are going to come tearing back here in a minute, all YOU have to do, is aim for the one with the quaffle, and hit them.” Lance used his most patronizing voice.

Keith did not miss the tone, “And what are YOU going to do?”

Lance gripped his broom and picked his target, “I’m going to go get us another bludger.” 

He took off, running back to the player who had stolen the bludger from him before, number 50. He knew just by looking at 50 he’d never be able to tackle the bludger out of his hands, but he could stop him from beating any of his chasers. 

Matt had already been beaten and was running back. 50 was gearing up to hit Shiro, when Lance jumped between them. If he had any kind of specialty in this game (or life in general, according to some people) it was being annoying. He got right in 50’s face, throwing off his aim. Or, trying to, anyway. 50 was taller than Lance, and hit Shiro anyway, Allura having lost the quaffle and quickly retreating to help out with defense. Lance tried to recover the bludger, but the second beater, 06, was there, prepared to take him out if he touched it.

Lance scowled a bit. Technically speaking, beaters weren’t supposed to guard abandoned bludgers in such a way. But, they were right by Arus’ goals and 50 was right behind him, scooping the bludger up. Play moved down the pitch, but Lance stayed behind, hovering over his new friends, 06 and 50. 

He switched targets, standing between 06 and his players. She was watching him, annoyed. Must be a new player for Arus, he didn’t recognize her. “Hello~” He said to her, as they waited for action to move to their end again, “Did you survive the Avada Kedavra curse? Because you’re drop dead gorgeous.”

Her scowl deepened, and she threw her bludger at him, presumably to shut him up. 

However, Lance still had that ‘annoying’ thing going for him, and managed to catch it in the air. 

50 was chasing after him instantly as he backtracked, trying to get to the safety of his side of the pitch. 50 was relentless, though, charging him down like a raging bull. He wasn’t going to make it, but at least he had a good run. 

Then, out of nowhere, 50 got bludged. Lance whipped around to see Keith charging down the field to retrieve his bludger before 06 could get there. Lance retreated to his hoops, bludger in his hand, angrily awaiting Keith’s return. 

Keith didn’t return right away, though. Play had returned to Arus’ side of the field, and Keith was beating people out of Shiro’s way. Still, Shiro missed the toss and the quaffle got intercepted. Only when play came back to Altea again did Lance have a chance to admonish Keith. “What the HELL was that?” He asked.

Keith shrugged non-chalant. “I got us bludger control, didn’t I?”

“I TOLD you to guard the hoops,” Lance said frustrated, looking at the score which read 20-00, “We lost another goal because of that.”

Keith shrugged, not bothered, “Now we can guard against more.”

Lance grumbled. Play was coming back, bringing 50 along with it, charging towards Lance to reclaim their bludger. “Just—stick to the strategies. They’re there for a reason.” 

Together, they were able to stop the Arus chasers before they scored a third goal, and even ward off 50. As soon as Shiro, Allura, and Pidge (Matt had subbed out) charged forward, Keith went with them, “Or you could stay behind and not lose our bludger control,” Lance said to his retreating back. If Keith heard him, he ignored it. 

Keith warded off the chasers blocking Allura’s path and she managed to get close enough to throw the ball through the hoop, giving Altea their first goal. All Lance’s teammates cheered, but Lance could only grumble at Mr. Perfect. 

Lance was proven right, of course. Keith got beat, and 50 gladly picked up his fallen bludger. As he was running back, Lance glared at him, “Don’t wear yourself out,” He told him, “We don’t have many subs and we have other games today.”

“Don’t worry,” Keith said, “I’ve got good stamina.”

The way he said that should NOT have been sexy. Curse Lance’s dirty mind. If he wasn’t so angry he might have made a joke about, but all he could do was watch Keith run away, blatantly not following his instructions.

Well, if Keith was going to go off and be useless, it was up to Lance to singlehandedly defend the hoops…with Shay’s help. Doublehandedly? Whatever. The point was he stayed put and kept people from getting by…as much as he could anyway. 

Okay, so maybe a few quaffles got by him, but again, outnumbered a lot. He STILL managed to do some cool things. One of his shots ricocheted off a chaser and hit a second chaser, both of them having to slink off in defeat. Once he was halfway across the pitch and still managed to beat a chaser just as he was about to score. Each time he did something cool he’d shout, “DID YOU SEE THAT? DID YOU SEE THAT?!” And Hunk would cheer him on from the sidelines. 

He was getting tired, though. Even staying closer to the hoops and not running as much, he had a stitch in his side. But Keith kept running down the pitch, barely breaking a sweat, and Lance would be DAMNED if he subbed out first. 

Finally, Allura intervened and sent Keith to the sidelines. Lance sighed in relief as Hunk ran out to support Lance’s efforts. He’d wait just a couple more passes, then go and rest. He tossed Hunk the bludger. Hunk was better at guarding hoops, and Lance was better at going forward and being annoying. He was usually, anyway, but the stitch in his side was quickly becoming an issue. 

The Arus’ beaters had long subbed out, 50 and 06 having been replaced with 14 and 32. He was too slow to tackle them or even do more than occasionally stand in front of the chasers, delaying the beaters for a time. 

He was about to sub out when he looked to the sidelines to see who was available. Shiro stood there, drinking desperately out of his water bottle, but Keith…Keith was standing by the scoreboards, yellow bandana around his head, ready to be a seeker once they were released. “Allura!”

He intercepted Allura as they retreated, “What the hell is Keith doing as seeker?”

Allura blinked at him, “He IS a seeker, Lance. That’s what he’s been training for.”

“This is his first game,” Lance insisted, “I’m our teams main seeker, I should…” He coughed, his lungs hurting, “I should be the one over there.”

“Lance, you’re exhausted,” Allura said, “Keith’s had a few minutes to cool down, and he’s plenty fast. He’s ready for this. You need to sub out and rest now.”

Lance glared up at her. “I’m fine.”

“Lance,” Allura said in her demanding voice he could never argue with. 

He grit his teeth, boiling mad, and ran to the sidelines, “Shiro!” Shiro put his water bottle down, and tagged in. 

Lance collapsed on the ground, his mouth dry. Swallowing he grabbed his water and drank as he watched the seekers rush off after the snitch. Keith quickly outstepped the Arus’ seeker and grappled with the snitch. Lance shouldn’t have been happy to see the Arus’ beater beat Keith out, but he was just a little. 

Then, of course, the Arus Seeker, 46, was grappling with the snitch runner (a thoroughly vanilla snitch runner, Lance thought). Of course, Lance’s mood plummeted as Keith ran up behind the distracted snitch and snatched it before anyone could notice. 

The Altea team cheered, converging on Keith. They had still lost the game (80-40) but by not nearly as horrible a margin. Even the Arus’ team was congratulating them, happy for their victory.

Only Lance was left sulking. It was fine, he told himself. A lucky catch. He would seek the next game.

The next game was worse.

They were up against the red team from earlier, VTC, which should have tipped Lance off this was going to go poorly. 

But things didn’t start to REALLY get bad until one of their beaters through a bludger at Allura’s feet, tripping her so she fell on the ground. She let out a cry of pain, and the ref paused the game. Immediately, all of Altea’s team came running forward, leaving their brooms behind to see if she was okay. 

“Can you move it?” The first aid guy said, holding her foot in his hand. 

“Y-yeah.” She said, lightly pointing her toes as her face was scrunched in pain. The team all leaned forward to try and comfort her, but then stepped back to give her space. 

The first aid guy nodded, “Alright, I think it’s just sprained. I’m going to give you some ice for it. Do you think you can get to the sidelines with help?”

She nodded, and Shay lifted her under her arms, helping her hop over to the sideline. The audience clapped to see she was okay, and everyone on the team went to hover over their brooms. 

Pidge came in to substitute for Allura, but the second the ref saw them, he narrowed his eyes. Lance was too far to see, but he seemed to be talking with Shiro and Matt, pointing to Pidge as they came up. 

Before Lance knew what had happened, Matt had punched the ref in the nose. 

There was a collective gasp. Lance stood in shock. Matt never got into fights, in fact he abhorred violence like nature abhorred a vacuum. But here he was, with Shiro holding him back, and the ref whipping out a red card from his jacket. Matt kicked up dirt as he walked past to sit by Allura. 

Keith came out from the sub line to stand in for Matt. Lance looked to Shiro, who was having what seemed to be harsh words with the ref, to Pidge, who was more shocked than Lance, and looked very uncomfortable with their hands crossed over their chest, to Allura and Matt. The last one was the most surprising. Allura should be tearing Matt a new one, but was instead patting him on the back while glaring at the ref. 

Lance sidesteps over to Pidge, the most approachable of the group. Keith, Hunk, and Shay have a similar idea. “Are you okay?” Shay murmured quietly to Pidge.

“Uh…” Pidge said, “I think…I don’t know.”

“What happened?” Keith asked, maybe a touch blunt.

Pidge didn’t seem bothered by the question, but scrunched up their face, looking for words. “I’m…not entirely sure to be honest. The ref said I couldn’t sub for Allura for some reason. Something about the gender rule?”

Lance and Hunk made small ‘ohhhhhh’s while Keith and Shay joined Pidge in confusion. “What’s the gender rule?”

“It’s…well,” Lance said, not sure if he would sound insensitive here, “We haven’t really had to deal with it so far because most of the time we have most of our players on the field, but technically you have to have 2 people of a different gender than the majority of your players on the field at all times. So, um. I’m guessing the ref…uh…the ref thought you….that you’re a b…” Lance couldn’t finish the thought. 

Pidge looked more shocked than ever. Shay put a hand over her mouth, and Keith seemed ready to join Matt in the ‘punch the ref’ club. “I feel like I shouldn’t be surprised,” Hunk said, scowling at the ref, “That’s Zach Kahn. He’s Captain of the Galra U team.”

“He’s from Galra?” Lance said, scowling, “No wonder I hate him.”

“Is Galra a bad team?” Shay asked. 

“They’re the WORST.” Lance said, “Like, they’re objectively terrible. Way over-aggressive, like playing newer teams to up their stats. They give more players injuries than anyone I’ve ever seen.” Lance was bristling. 

They were distracted as Shiro walked over to them, looking tired and stressed. “I threatened to call the commissioner in on him and he folded. We play as normal.”

“What’s going to happen to Matt?” Pidge asked, concerned. 

Shiro looked back to where Matt sat. “I think I talked Zach out of doing anything drastic, but we’re all on thin ice here.” He looked over each of them, “That means no stepping out of line here. Lets just finish the game and get this over with.”

That really should have been everything. They were all upset, though, and their playing showed it. Pidge and Keith weren’t as experienced chasers, and Shiro alone couldn’t get close to the hoops. Shay had gone timid and missed several goals going through. Lance and Hunk kept up as best they could, until Allura called Lance over to the sidelines. 

“What is it?” Lance asked, stressed and tired. Matt wasn’t there, Lance assumed Allura sent him to cool off somewhere. Allura tossed the yellow seeker headband at him. “What about Hunk?” He looked back to Hunk who was holding the one bludger they could hold onto, standing by Shay in front of the hoops. 

“Hunk’s just going to have to manage as the only beater. Rest up, quickly, they’ll be calling you over in just a minute.”

Lance nodded, drinking water and trying to relax. This was his moment to show Keith how a real seeker does things. That’s what motivates him. That’s what gets him through. He uses up all of his remaining energy chasing after the snitch.

He doesn’t catch it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *they got the team off the ground. Get it? Because Lion Castle launched off of Arus? And got off the ground? okay I'll stop now.
> 
> I'm realizing that I've spent all the chapters so far kinda building up the dislike between Keith and Lance and...this was originally supposed to be fluffy. So, all I can say is that this is a slowburn and we're getting there.
> 
> Real things: 
> 
> Arus is based on a real team that I love dearly, though I have made them more like the Arusians. 
> 
> Galra U is an amalgam of teams I don't like.
> 
> The gender rule (aka title 9 3/4) has its good intentions, as it tries to keep the sport co-ed, but it has problems like the one shown here in that people kinda have to be outed in the middle of games, not to mention it excludes some women's colleges (like mine)
> 
> I kinda forgot about mouthguards for this chapter, so we're all just going to pretend they take them out when they speak or they are awkwardly speaking around them.


	6. Team Bonding

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Allura tries to cheer up the team. It does not go as planned.

They end up losing their second game 130-10. The silver lining was that the tournament was double elimination, so they could go home without having to stay for closing ceremonies. “Hey guys,” Allura said, still wobbly on her ankle as they packed up their stuff and started retreating to the parking lots. “How about we go for some ice cream? My treat. Just for team bonding and everything.”

The surrounding team grunts approval, and its up to sweet-tempered Shay to say, “That sounds lovely, Allura. Do we want to find a place here, or why don’t we go to Quiznak’s that’s over by the school?”

“Ooh, we love Quiznaks,” Allura said, smiling at her roommates. “Don’t we, guys?”

Matt didn’t look like he heard her until Shiro nudged him. “Oh, yeah,” He said, “Sounds great.” He then went back to sulking in anger. 

“Great,” Allura said, with a tone like she was pulling teeth, “Lance, can you meet us there?”

Lance was brooding and looking into middle distance. “Yeah…I…I’m kinda tired.” He swallowed, “Hunk, would you be able to drive us back?”

“No problem, buddy,” Hunk said, kindly, taking Lance’s keys.

“Shay?” Pidge asked, in a low, meaningful tone. “You mind if I ride back in Shiro’s car?” They looked over at their brother.

Shay smiled, “Of course.”

Shay ended up sitting in the front seat, making light conversation with Hunk that Lance tuned out. He sat as far away from Keith as he possibly could and closed his eyes, trying to block out the world. Keith didn’t even try to engage him in conversation, for which Lance wasn’t sure if he was angry or happy about.

They pulled up on the side of the street by Quiznaks behind Shiro’s car. Following up, they found Matt and Pidge with red eyes, having most likely had some kind of sibling heart-to-heart thing. Shiro and Allura smile at them, a little awkward.

“How’s your ankle?” Lance asks when they make it to Allura. His voice sounds defeated.

She smiles kindly and pats him on the back. “I think I won’t have to amputate. Oh, er, sorry Shiro.”

Shiro shrugs, “Eh, don’t worry about it. Just don’t let the jokes get out of,” He raises his prosthetic arm, “HAND.” 

The team all groans. “Shiro, the dad jokes are the only thing getting out of hand,” Hunk said.

Shiro shrugs and gets in line. Still, despite the team’s reaction, he’d been able to lift at least some of the tension around them. Keith steps in behind him, “Keith, did you take your medicine?”

Keith rolled his eyes exaggerated, “Now you really do sound like a Dad.”

Shiro huffed, “You know you’ll regret it.”

“FINE.” Keith said, fishing into his pockets and pulling out a bottle, “Dad…” He muttered before dry swallowing.

“What’s the medicine for?” Pidge asked.

“I’m lactose intolerant, so I need to take stuff before I eat dairy,” Keith answered. It’s a pain, though.

“It’ll be more of a pain if you go without it.” Shiro tsked at him. Keith rolled his eyes.

Once they all had their ice cream, they gathered outside of the shop, their group too big to fit in a booth. “So,” Allura said, “I know this wasn’t…wasn’t the best opening tournament ever,” Matt flinched, uncomfortable, “But I wanted to thank you all for playing your best. Really, we all did well.”

“We lost.” Keith said, disbelieving, “Both games. Badly.”

“Well, yes,” Allura said, “But the important thing is—“

“We had fun?” Keith said, eyebrow raised, “Did anyone honestly have fun?”

“Shut up, Keith,” Lance said, harshly, “You sucked the fun out of everything.”

Keith frowned at him, though it was the rest of the team that was gaping at him, “Excuse me?” Keith asked, “And how exactly did I ‘suck the fun’?”

“Cause you’re a funsucker.” Lance said, “You wouldn’t listen to me, and for all your talk of ‘taking things seriously,’ you didn’t follow ONE of the strategies I laid out for you.”

“I don’t have to do what you say,” Keith said.

“Uh, yeah, you kinda do,” Lance said, “I’m head beater AND head seeker, I’ve been playing this longer than you have, I know what to do.”

“Oh really?” Keith said, “Then how come I actually CAUGHT the snitch?”

And that’s when Lance snapped. He held his ice cream cone so tight it started to crack, “If you don’t like Quidditch so much why don’t you just QUIT?!”

“Lance!” Allura snapped, “Calm down,”

“Why don’t you tell that to HIM?” Lance pointed aggressively, “He’s RUINED this team we were fine before he came along,”

“Lance,” Hunk said, exasperated, “What happened today had nothing to DO with Keith.”

“The hell it didn’t!” Lance said, “What happened to working together as a team? What happened to everything we trained for? Why the hell is it that when HE messes up you all yell at ME?”

Keith stood up, his ice cream finished, “If you want me to leave, I will.”

“I want you to leave!”

“Fine!” Keith tossed his napkin in the trash, “I quit. Happy?” with that he walked off back towards campus. 

Shiro sighed, “Keith,” He called, half-jogging to chase after him.

The rest of the team turned angrily at Lance. “What?” He asked furiously licking his cone.

“Seriously, Lance?” Allura asked, “Is your stupid ego really so fucking big you don’t see the problems straight in front of you?”

“He’s just jealous,” Matt said, recovering from his earlier brooding.

“I am NOT jealous!” Lance protested, “I’m way better than haircut up there.”

“Oh for the love of—“ Hunk said, furious. Hunk was rarely furious. “Lance, I am your best friend, and I can tell you you’re RIDICULOUSLY jealous of Keith. So jealous you don’t even see all the cool things you did on your own.” Hunk put the empty cup of ice cream in the trash. “You pulled off some of the best stunts I have ever SEEN in a game today, and because Keith did ONE thing better than you, you’re pissed off. Lance, don’t you see? It was the end of our second game, we were down two players and we were all angry as hell at what Zach did. You were off your game, you can’t expect to do as well as Keith did when he was in good condition.” He harrumphed, like, literally made the ‘harumph’ noise. “And now we’re down to 7 players total. What if one of us gets injured? Or can’t make a game or something? We won’t have enough to field a team. Allura told us at the start of the season we were at risk of having to cancel the team. Is that what you want?”

Lance flinched, letting Hunk’s rant wash over him. Hunk had a way of getting right down to the truth, at least where it came to Lance. “No,” He murmured. 

“Then APOLOGIZE to him.” Hunk said. 

Lance bit his tongue, not wanting to admit defeat, but not wanting to upset Hunk further. “Fine.” He muttered, “Next time I see him,” He hoped he wouldn’t see him for a while.

 

He saw him the next day. 

He had been trying not to think about anything related to Quidditch or Keith, working at his job at the campus center café. It was fairly simple and low stress, but he earned some cash on top of his academic work.

Then, Keith walked in, covered in sweat and lugging a ridiculously large and weird shaped bag on his back. Lance thought it looked almost like a guitar case, but it was slightly different. 

Keith made it all the way to the register before he realized who was behind it. There was a brief moment of shock before he turned around and headed for the door, “Wait!” Lance called after him. Keith half turned back, eyebrow raised and questioning, “Can I…can I talk to you for a minute?”

Keith sighed. “Aren’t you working?”

Lance looked over at his coworker, mindlessly wiping down the counter, “Hey, Nyma, you want to take over register for a minute?”

She shrugs and hands him a rag. Keith comes back and looks back to the menu they have. “Can I get a strawberry milkshake?” He asks Nyma.

She nods and starts pressing buttons when Lance comes back, “Wait a sec, did you take your meds?”

Keith glares at him, “What, are you Shiro?”

Lance sighed, “I can’t in good conscience make you a drink knowing you’ll have an allergic reaction.”

Keith sighed, “I left my meds in my dorm, and I’m not going back for them. I’ll be fine, just give me a damn milkshake.”

“You know we serve things WITHOUT milk in them, right?” Lance said.

Nyma was looking between the two of them like she would watch a tennis game. “None of those milk substitute things taste like milk. That’s just fact.”

Lance clucked his tongue, “I’ll make you a deal.” Keith raised an eyebrow again, “I’ll make you a lactose-free DELICIOUS drink. If you don’t like it, I’ll make you a free milkshake. If you do, you’ll re-join Quidditch.”

Keith squinted at him. “Fine.”

Lance whispered to Nyma what drink he was making so she could ring it up, while he got started. Keith came over and sat on the barstool by the counter, slumping his bag to the ground. “So, what’s the bag for?” Lance asked, stalling the apology he knew he’d have to give.

“Fencing,” Keith answered, “I’m an actual athlete, remember.”

“I’m totally an—“ Lance cut himself off before he devolved into another argument, “You know what, fine. I, um, I wanted to talk with you about something.”

“So you said,” Keith said, “And that thing is…?”

Lance grumbled a bit before forcing himself to say the words, “I’m sorry, alright? For what I said. I was…frustrated. You really should have been listening to me, I know it worked the once, but—“

“Did you like, skip the lesson on how to apologize in kindergarten?” Keith asked, “’Cause I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to insult the person you’re apologizing too.”

Lance bit his tongue before he could think of a witty retort. “Sorry.” He repeated, “Even IF I was justified, I shouldn’t have said those things to you. You’re…good.” God, he wanted to vomit, “You’re a good quidditch player, and…and the team could really use you.” 

Keith considered him for a few moments. “I see,” he said. He rapped his fingers on the counter. “In that case…even if I was justified, I’m sorry I didn’t respect your weird made up authority in the game.” Lance scowled at him. This was not worth it, but he knew Hunk would be disappointed in him and that was almost worse than it would be from his mother. “I’m…used to sports where I work alone, not with a team, so I’m not used to like…team strategies or whatever.” Lance chuckled to himself. “What?”

“Always the loner, huh?” Lance said, “That’s what you were like in high school too.”

“Ah…yeah,” Keith said, “I’m…sorry? About that too. Forgetting you, I mean.” Keith fiddled with his hands. “High school…wasn’t really the best time for me. It wasn’t personal.”

Lance nodded stirring something, “It’s…it’s not a problem.” He said, surprising even himself. “It’s in the past, right?” he put the finishing touches on the drink and sliding it over to Keith, “Drink up.”

Hesitant, Keith raised it to his lips and sipped. Lance waits in anticipation as he considered the taste. “Not bad, McClain,” Keith said, taking another sip. 

Lance beamed at him, and a strange expression passed over Keith’s face, “So, you’ll rejoin the team?”

“Oh, I was already going to do that,” Keith said, collecting his bag as he drank.

Lance’s smile fell off his face like an avalanche. “What do you mean you were going to do that?”

Keith smirked taking another sip of the drink. “Shiro talked me into it, and I owe him, so, I was planning on just ignoring you. But, since you apologized,” He shrugged and started heading for the door. 

“You cheated me…you cheated me out of that deal!” Lance said taken aback. Keith grinned, mischievously, “I take back those nice things I said!” He said to Keith’s retreating back, “It is a problem! And—you’re the worst quidditch player ever! I—I—Come back here!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This may seem like 1 step forward, 1 back, but its a start.
> 
> I know nothing about drink making, except that I am addicted to chocolate milkshakes. If I was lactose intolerant I might die.


	7. Death Pit

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More practice shenanigans and a team meeting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey so remember when I was all 'I'll update every few days?'   
> Soooo that didn't survive massive depression.  
> But I got this done so thats nice, And I've got the next chapter started, but I want to update my fics in cycles, so I'll work on the others first and come back to this one. Given the holidays are happening and I'll be with family who knows what will happen.

“You know…I hate to say it, but Lance was right,” Pidge panted, “Keith is terrible.”

“I fucking told you,” Lance panted beside him.

“C’mon guys!” Keith called, “Just a few more.”

Apparently, Keith returning to the team came with conditions. One was that they treat the sport more like, well, a sport. That meant doing actual warm-ups. Allura and Shiro agreed to let Keith run these warm-ups, taken from his fencing practice. 

Of course, Allura and Shiro were athletes themselves. The only reason they were on Quidditch and not a ‘real’ sports team was Shiro wasn’t allowed to play most of them due to his arm, and Allura felt awkward on large teams as she was the daughter of the dean.

The others, of course, were not athletes, and so died. Or just thought they had died. In a row, Lance, Pidge, Matt, Shay, and Hunk lay on the ground rasping, and they hadn’t even started practice yet. 

“It’s really not that bad,” Keith said, standing over them, already done with his ‘burpees’ or whatever the hell he called them. 

Shiro looked awkward, “Maybe we should break for water.”

“Shiro..” Keith said, frowning. 

Shiro patted him on the shoulder. “Baby steps, Keith. Baby steps.” 

Keith sighed, and went over to set up the hoops while everyone else slogged to the water. 

“Pour it in my mouth Hunk,” Lance said, starfished on the ground, “Let it seep into my body.”

“One, ew,” Hunk said, “Two, shut up, you’re way more fit than I am, you should be helping ME out you drama queen.”

“Lies,” Lance said, “Lies and slander. You have beautiful tree trunk arms perfect for hugging.”

“Dawww,” Hunk said, and draped an arm around Lance. Keith, stepping over them, gave them a weird look. 

Allura took a long dreg of her water bottle. “Okay guys. Today’s gonna be a beater drill day, I think.” Lance and Hunk perked instantly, “You guys have an idea?”

Lance cupped his hands around Hunk’s ear and began whispering. Hunk nodded, happily. Lance released Hunk and looked up to Allura, “We want to do Death Pit, please.” 

Allura sighed, “I thought you might.” With expert deftness, she used her broom to pick up the small plastic cones and started making a wide circle. 

Keith rolled his eyes, “Why do all the beater drills sound like death and destruction?”

“It’s a tough game. Gotta be in it to win it,” Lance responded.

“What’s that, Shiro?” Pidge asked, as Shiro dug through his bag. 

“Oh, I just got these sports gloves. It helps with the grip, ya know?” He picks up one of the quaffles with his left hand and tosses it a bit. “I probably won’t need the right one, though if anyone wants—“

“DIBS!” Lance called, making grabby hands at the glove.

“No fair!” Keith said, “You use bludgers all the time, they have a natural grip on them.”

“Excuse you,” Lance said, “But the grip wears off, genius. Look,” He picked up the blue ball, “Mo’s as smooth as a shaved—“

Shiro slammed a hand over Lance’s mouth, “Nope, no, not doin that.” Lance made a protesting noise and Shiro released him. “We can rotate the glove. Lance can have it today, Keith can have it next practice.” 

Lance happily slipped the glove over his right hand and gave the blue bludger a few practice tosses. “Yeah, I think this’ll work nicely.”

“Lance!” Allura called, “We’re all set up here!” 

Lance nodded, “Alright, Hunk and I will start as the beaters. Shiro, Allura, will you be the chasers?” They sighed and nodded. “Great, and we need a third…Matt?” Matt shook his head.

“I’ll play,” Keith stepped up, bringing a quaffle with him. “What do we do?”

“Don’t worry, this one’s easy,” Lance said. “First off, no one and nothing can leave the cone circle. It goes out, it stays out. If you get bludged, you’re out. It will be Hunk and my job to try and beat you three out.” He gripped the ball in both hands, menacingly, “You only have one job: survive.” 

Keith raised an eyebrow, but by the time Allura said ‘brooms up,’ Lance through the ball at Keith’s stomach. On instinct, he caught it, remembering seconds later that he was supposed to be a chaser and chaser’s couldn’t catch bludgers. Grumbling, he dropped it and stepped out of the circle. 

“Ha HA!” Lance said, as Hunk picked up the fallen bludger and went after Shiro, who desperately raised the quaffle like a shield. “I finally got you!”

Keith raised an eyebrow. “I caught it,” Keith said, “That’s not the same.”

“It is if you’re a chaser!” Lance said. With Shiro fallen, Hunk stood over the quaffle like a mother hen over an egg, as Allura edged around the center of the circle, trying to find a way to grab it. In a desperate effort, she dived for the quaffle, only for Hunk to beat her out as well. 

Considering how short the round was, they went again. “This is ridiculous,” Keith said, watching Shiro quickly get beat out. “We’re like fish in a barrel!” 

“Yup!” Lance said, “This is my favorite drill.” 

Keith snarled once he and Allura were beat out. “Alright then,” He said, “Lets rotate. See how you like it.”

“Shouldn’t I be the one saying that…?” Allura asked. 

“Just…” Shiro said, “Its easier to go with it.” 

So, Matt and Shay came in to be chasers with Lance, while Pidge became a beater with Keith. Not that Keith seemed to let Pidge hold the bludger ever. 

Shay went down easy, though she didn’t look like she expected any different. Matt made a valiant effort to dodge, but failed. And Lance…

Lance took the quaffle in his hand, and used it to deflect the bludger out of the circle. 

Keith frowned, “That’s cheating.”

Lance shrugged, “That’s strategy, baby.” 

He immediately regretted using he word ‘baby,’ but it made Keith so mad his face went red, so he considered it a win. 

Death Pit was a quick drill, and so was over with quickly, so Allura split them up to do seeking and keeping. 

Of course, as Lance and Keith were their only regular seekers, they just went off down the field by themselves. “You wanna try snitching today?” Lance asked.

Keith sighed, “I…suppose so.” He said, hesitant. “Does this thing get washed or does it just always smell like your ass?”

Lance rolled his eyes, “It gets washed.” Keith sighed, and slipped them over his sweatpants. “…once a month.”

Keith turned a glare on him, “Lance—“

“C’mon, man, lets get this show on the road.” He mounted his broom and faced off against Keith. 

Keith, feeling weird, prepared himself. “Don’t I get a headstart?” Keith asked.

“Sure do,” Lance said, and nodded his head for Keith to start running, “I’ll always catch you.”

Keith took off like a bullet from Lance. Lance regretted giving him the full 30 second head start because it quickly became way too hard to actually catch up to him. Keith seemed to realize that and slowed down a bit. Lance hated that. 

He tried double backing around Keith several times, reaching around him to get the tennis ball bouncing against his ass.

God, while Lance appreciated the innuendo within Quidditch, it provided some really unwelcome thoughts at very inconvenient times. 

Keith was smaller than Lance, and so once they began grappling, it was a simple matter of reaching around with his long arms to pluck the snitch off the shorts with a satisfying rip of velcro, “Getting sloppy, Kogane.” Lance said. 

“How can I be getting sloppy when this is my first time?” Keith asked.

Really, really unwelcome thoughts.

Lance stuck his tongue out at him instead of responding, passing the snitch back so Keith could re-attach it. “So,” Keith asked, “Any strategies, oh, great head seeker?” 

Lance sighed, “Sarcasm while simultaneously playing on my weird power-trip tendencies…” Lance said, “Not bad.”

“Well, at least you know they’re weird power trips,” Keith said. “Seriously, Shiro says you’re a good snitch. What do I do?”

Lance started beaming. “Well, first off, you’re not competing when you’re the snitch. You’re there to be a challenge, but not too much of a challenge. The game still has to end, and if you run forever, the ref will eventually handicap you. Arm behind your back, limited arena, stuff like that. You’re supposed to make it fun, you know, add a little pizzaz to the game.”

Keith raised an eyebrow, “I’m not really a ‘pizzazer.’” 

“Yeah, no kidding,” Lance said, “You don’t have to worry too much. Most snitches aren’t as pizzazy, just the memorable ones.” He winked at Keith. “Nah, but if you want specific strategies—You can usually lure the seekers wherever you go, so sometimes its good to head to the opposing teams beaters, who would be more than happy to beat out a seeker. It used to be you could actually mess with the other balls….I’m actually not sure where the rules currently stand on it…you can’t mess with them as much.” He smiled, “There was a game I watched where the snitch put al the balls into trees…that was fun.”

Keith rolled his eyes. “So, go for the beaters?” Keith summed up Lance’s mini-rant.”

Lance sighed, “Yeah, just try and make sure you spend equal time on both halves of the field. No one likes a snitch that shows a preference.” Lance smirks, but do you wanna know my fave strategy?” Keith nodded, and Lance dismounted, offering Keith his broom. 

Keith mounted, awkwardly shuffling the tennis ball velcroed to his butt so it hung to one side. Smiling, Lance grabbed ahold of the broom and pulled it out from between Keith’s legs.

For a second, Keith frowned, trying to figure out what just happened. “You can do that?”

Lance nodded, “If a player is dismounted they’re considered out, and have to go back to their hoops. Cruel, but effective. Just don’t do it so much it gets really annoying. Then its not fun.”

Keith sighed, “And it is all about having fun.”

“ESPECIALLY for a snitch,” Lance said, “You can take things as seriously as you want when you’re competing and trying to win, but there’s no winning in snitching, just creating a fun atmosphere as best you can. Think you can manage?”

Keith sighed and reluctantly nodded. 

And when Keith pulled the broom right out from under Lance when they were practicing, Lance couldn’t even be mad. 

 

Team dinner had somehow also become team ministry meetings. Considering only the 3 new players didn’t have a position on ministry, they just sat in as the rest took notes and talked about upcoming events. 

“So,” Matt said, “We’re going to need to order jerseys for our new players.” Hunk typed notes in a google doc. “The issue: It costs more to order 3 shirts than it did to order them all in bulk last year.”

“Does that mean new jerseys?” Lance asked excitedly.

“Lance, no,” Shiro said, “It would be cheaper for the three of them, more expensive for the rest of us.” 

“I’m on board with this plan,” Pidge said, and Matt smacked the back of their head. 

“But guyyyys,” Lance said, “Our jersey is so boring. It doesn’t even have a symbol or a team name or anything! Just our names and a number.” He huffed, “Besides, I think Matt should have his name changed on his jersey.” Matt raised an eyebrow at him, “Your new nickname is slugger.”

“Lance,” Shiro reprimanded, but Matt giggled.

“Whaaaat?” Lance asked, “I think its time we acknowledged as a team that our little Matt is secretly a badass. I’m so proud of you.”

Lance went to pinch Matt’s cheek, but Matt swatted him away laughing, “Oh my god, I’m OLDER than you.” He said.

Allura rolled her eyes, “While I like the nickname and WILL be using it, I think we outta avoid saying it around the Galra team.” She gritted her teeth, “As much as I hate to admit it they could still try and make trouble cause of it. NOT that I’m blaming you, Matt.”

Matt rolled his eyes. “Yeah yeah. We’re keeping with the old uniforms though, Lance.” Lance sighed. “I’ll try talking to the school about paying some of it,” He assured the newcomers. “Any name or number preferences?”

Shay shrugged, “Balmera’s fine. And, 23 for a number I guess.”

Pidge raised an eyebrow, “Can I have an imaginary number for mine?” they asked. 

“Symbols cost money,” Matt said.

They sighed, “What about pi?”

“Decimals count as symbols.”

Pidge sighs, exasperated, “FINE, just put 314, I’ll add the decimal with duct tape.”

Keith shrugged, “Kogane’s fine. And…I don’t particularly care about the number, put whatever someone else doesn’t have.”

Matt nodded. “Now,” Lance said, “If we’re done with that, we have some very important business. Team name and cheer.”

The senior players all sighed. “Lance, we’ve been over this.” Allura said, “Altea team is just fine.”

Lance scoffed, “But we could have such a COOL name!” 

“Like what?” Keith asked, instantly regretting it as Shiro, Matt, and Allura all frantically shook their heads at him. 

“I’m glad you asked!” Lance said, “Imagine, kneeling at one end of the pitch. The ref stands in the center. It’s dead quiet, and they say, ‘Team Voltron, are you ready?’ And the crowd goes wild!” Lance lifts his hands above his head. 

“From saying the team name?” Keith asks in disbelief.

“Wait,” Pidge said, “Your idea of a team name is ‘Voltron?’” Lance nods eagerly, “That sounds like a giant robot mecha or something.” Lance nods eagerly again. “I’m in, lets do this.”

“No, Pidge!” Matt said, “My own sibling…betrays me…”

“You’d think you’d be used to it by now,” Pidge said, innocently drinking her lemonade. 

“Excellent,” Lance says, “That’s 3 for, and 3 against.”

“How do you count that out?” Shiro says.

Lance patted Hunk’s back, “Hunk’s got my back on this.”

“I do?” Hunk asked. Lance nodded, “Alright, I guess I do.”

“Hunk!” Allura said, “I thought you were the responsible one!” 

“I’m not surprised,” Shiro said, typing on his laptop, “He’s been writing ideas for dessert recipes in the meeting notes.”

“HEY!” Hunk said, like he was about to argue, “Those are some good dessert recipes.”

“Count me for in too,” Shay said. Everyone turned to her surprised, but she was looking at Hunk. “What? It sounds cool.”

Lance managed to resist chuckling, but it was very difficult. Oh, he would have to put some of his matchmaking plans into action sooner than expected. 

Everyone then turned to Keith, “I so don’t care about this, guys,” Keith said, “I mean…Voltron sounds like kinda a lame name, but—“

“I’ll make you a free strawberry milkshake at work,” Lance said. 

“Done.” Keith said, and he turned to his meal. 

Matt, Shiro, and Allura fell on the table in defeat. “I would remind you to take your meds,” Shiro said, “But I think you deserve to suffer a little.”

“Oh please,” Keith said, “Like you’re not gonna remind me anyway.”

“Victory!” Lance said, punching the air, “So, for a cheer, I’m thinking something like, ‘I say Vol, you say Tron, Vol—“ 

He pointed to Keith, who had a mouthful of food. Swallowing quickly, Keith said, “Voltron?”

Lance shook his head, “No, no, no, the instructions are part of the cheer, I say Vol, you say…”

Keith shook his head, more bewildered than ever, “Vol…tron?”

Lance sighed. “We’ll work on it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real things:   
> Someone on the fencing team did end up running our warm-ups but she wasn't nearly as intense as Keith. We died anyway because we're weak.   
> Someone on our team was left handed and had a glove and there was always a fight as to who would get the right-hand glove.   
> Mo was the name of our blue bludger.   
> Death pit is my favorite drill. The chasers had it. I laugh at their pain. though I disagree with Lance's strategy here, thats mean, don't do that in games.   
> The rules are obviously real.  
> While we didn't have team meetings at dinner, I was secretary for my team one year and while taking notes included important documentation like 'I wonder what they're serving for dinner tonight...'  
> And I'm still bitter our team jerseys didn't have a symbol or our actual school name on them because it was already so damn expensive and our school wouldn't cover it cause it wasnt equipment. We were the squids, I wanted a squid goddamn it.  
> And it took ages for us to get a team cheer. I finally got it going by having us shout the chorus to "be a man." Very effective. people loved it.


	8. Halloween Weekend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Quidditch team has planned a small get together and Keith learns something about himself.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I still have an hour of 2016 left. But I finished this before the new year.
> 
> EDIT: I hate Ao3's weird formatting. Has been updated for proper stuff and not just a textblock

**Lance McAwesome**

Hey hey HEYYY Quidditch people! It is time to start planning our 2nd annual Harry Potter Halloween Weekend! I’m talkin’ snacks, I’m talkin’ movies, I’m talkin’ decorations. As your social chair, I have taken the liberty of reserving us a spot in Yelmier Hall for this purpose and a projector to watch things on THE BIG SCREEN. IT’S GONNA BE A BLAST SO MAKE SURE YOU BE THERE PROMPTLY AT 6 ON FRIDAY ‘CAUSE WE PARTYIN IT UP ALL NIGHT (or until maintenance kicks us out)!!!!!!!!!!!!

            **Lance McAwesome** Soooooo update: Apparently some Ocapella (Acapella? Accappella?) group has Yelmier reserved for the weekend for some spooktacular blah blah blah. So, currently looking for alternate locations

            **Allura Prince** Why don’t we just have the event at our place? We have enough space in our living room to fit everyone. We have a TV, though its kinda small…

            **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** I can rent a projector and a DVD player from work. If you guys can clear a blank wall I can come early and set it up.

            **Matthew Holt** A) That sounds great, I can help you, B) since when do you work?

            **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** Hunk hooked me up with an ETS job. It’s ridiculously easy, and I don’t fall behind on my coding.

 **Matthew Holt** Oh yeah, I used to work for ETS, til me and Shiro started working as TA’s for Dad.

 **Hunk Garrett** Oooooh, if we’re having the party at your guys’ place, can we set up a pillow fort? It’d be so fun!

 **Matthew Holt** Hunk. That is the most amazing idea. Ever.

 **~*Nemo Nyma*~** Sorry Lance, I’m going to be out of town that whole weekend. Have fun!

 **Matthew Holt** I didn’t know Nyma was even still on this page…

 **Keith Kogane** I’m actually going to be late.

 **Lance McAwesome** Whaaaaaaaaaat? You’re the only person who hasn’t SEEN them, you won’t know whats going on!

 **Keith Kogane** I’m sure, somehow, I will survive. I have Fencing on MWF remember? And it doesn’t get out til 7, and its across the campus from the apartment.

 **Lance McAwesome**  :(

 **Shay Balmera** Sorry guys, I can’t make Friday either. My brother’s taking me out to this party at Arus.

 **Allura Prince** Why don’t we just move the part to Saturday? Then Shay can come and Keith doesn’t have to be late.

 **Keith Kogane** works for me.

 **Lance McAwesome** In that case, Shay, you mind if Hunk and I tag along to the party on Friday?

 **Shay Balmera** Sure! The more the merrier! Just don’t get freaked out by my brother, he can be a bit…intense.

 **Lance McAwesome** Aww, you know what? I just realized I have work on Friday. I guess you and Hunk will just have to go without me.

 **Keith Kogane** If you had work why were you trying to schedule the party that night?

 **Lance McAwesome** Shut up, Kogane

 **Hunk Garrett** I’m sorry, what’s going on here?

 **Shay Balmera** Hunk, why don’t you meet me at the bus station at 5:45 and we’ll head down? Is that alright?

 **Hunk Garret** Oh, yeah! Sure, that that sounds great!

 

**Lance McAwesome- >Hunk Garrett**

_You can thank me later_

 

If this doesn’t work out I will poison your food

 

_Fair enough_

 

**Keith Kogane- >Lance McAwesome**

Are you actually working Friday night?

 

_Why do ya wanna know?_

_Who sent you?_

Dude

Chill 

I just wanted to know if you’d be able to make that drink you made me after fencing practice

What was it called again?

_I mean in layman’s terms its kinda like an almond milk frozen hot chocolate. Kinda. But its of my own design._

_And I’m not working Friday, but I AM Mondays and Wednesdays. As long as you promise not to try and cheat me._

_Again._

I suppose

**Hunk Garrett**  

Hey guys! I’m going to be making some food on Saturday for the get-together/party/thing. So first off, if you have the time, come drop by our dorm’s kitchen at around 1 to help me make goodies! Second, let me know in the comments if any of you have any dietary restrictions. I already have some things planned without dairy, but does anyone have any other allergies or anything?

            **Keith Kogane** You guys are going to kill me with the caring about my well-being.

            **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** You’ll survive somehow.

            **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** Not so much an allergy but I will abhor anything with peanuts in it so I would appreciate knowing before I bite into anything

            **Hunk Garrett** What about Peanut Butter

 **P1dg3 Gund3rs0n** Delicious

 **Matthew Holt** I still can’t have gluten.

 **Hunk Garrett** oh yeah, sorry I forgot about that. Will arrange something.

 **Lance McAwesome** Not an allergy, just wondering if you got the stuff for butterbeer?

 **Hunk Garrett** Sigh…yes, Lance, I got the ingredients for the disgusting butterbeer you love.

 **Lance McAwesome** :D

 **Takashi (Shiro) Shirogane** Not an allergy either, just letting you guys know I’ll be over at 1 to help.

 **Hunk Garrett** Great! Let me know if you need me to swipe you in!

 

“Lance? Can you go get the door? Shiro’s here,” Hunk said, stirring batter frantically.

Lance skipped over to the door and opened it to reveal Shiro and Keith. “What are YOU doing here?” He asked Keith, who was looking sullen.

“Shiro made me come,” He said, arms crossed. “I brought homework to do.”

Lance rolled his eyes, “Well, come on in, Hunk said he wouldn’t start til now, but the dude couldn’t wait, so he’s already halfway through like, three things.”

Hunk had his hands buried in the batter, “Hey Shiro,” Hunk said, “Would you mind making this into cake balls for me?”

“I coulda done that,” Lance said.

Hunk shook his head, “I need you to make the butterbeer. You’re the one who likes it, you can make it to your tastes.” Lance sighed and nodded, taking the root beer out of the fridge. Keith sat up on the counter, taking his laptop out of his computer.

“So,” Lance said, “Hunk was just telling me about his daaaaate~!”

Hunk rolled his eyes, taking out new ingredients and putting them in a bowl. “It was NOT a date.” He said, “First off, her brother was there.”

“Oh yeah, what was he like?”

“He…did not like me…” Hunk said, looking off into the distance.

“What?” Lance said, aghast, “How…I can’t even comprehend…how does someone not like you?”

Hunk rolled his eyes, “Plenty of people don’t like me, Lance. I’m only human.”

“Bull, you’re an angel in human form.” Lance protested, pouring…something…into the root beer.

Hunk sighed, “Anyway, it kinda brought down the night. Like, Shay and I had some nice conversations, and we even danced a bit—“

“AWWWWW!!” Lance cooed.

“BUT Rax, that’s her brother, was like hovering over me all the time. And he gave me the shovel talk.”

Lance rolled his eyes, “Oh my god I HATE the shovel talk,” He said, “Especially from older brothers or dads. Like, from friends, okay, I can believe it, I would murder anyone who hurt you too, Hunk,”

“See, I know you think that’s sweet, but—“

“BUT I accept that you are strong and capable of handling yourself. Besides, Shay is so sweet, you two would be so perfect!”

Hunk blushed crimson, “How is it you’re more invested in my love life than I am?”

“It’s called love.”

Hunk rolled his eyes. “Kinda seems more like manipulation.”

“Tough love.”

“Hunk has a point,” Shiro said, making slightly lopsided cake balls. It was only then did Hunk and Lance remember how terrible Shiro was in the kitchen, but they didn’t say anything, “Maybe Pottermore was right after all.”

Lance gasped, clutching his chest. The noise made Keith look up from his computer, but he quickly resumed his work. “How DARE you speak the name of that heinous website.”

“Its not heinous,” Hunk said, “Sure its slow and…kinda…hard to use…and potion making is obnoxious. But it has some cool things and tidbits from JKR sometimes.”

“Garbage. Website.” Lance said, crossing his arms stubbornly.

Hunk sighed, “You know, you were ALL excited about it before it sorted you into Slytherin.”

“I AM NOT A SLYTHERIN,” Lance said, grumpy.

Shiro shrugged, “The test WAS designed by Rowling herself.”

“Well, it was wrong. It got me wrong.” Lance said, returning to Butterbeer making. “If anyone’s a Slytherin here, its Keith.”

Keith was pulled out of his homework, “What?” He said, having lost track of the conversation.

“See?” Lance said, waving in Keith’s direction, “He’s all quiet and brooding and stuff—perfect Slytherin.”

“Draco wasn’t quiet and brooding.” Hunk said, “Nor was Bellatrix, or Crabbe or Goyle or—“

“Okay, okay, I get it.” Lance said, “Still, he’s definitely a Slytherin.”

“I don’t know,” Shiro said, “I could see him as Ravenclaw. Or Gryffindor. He’s pretty loyal could be Hufflepuff.”

“I am so confused, what’s happening?” Keith asked.

“There’s only one way to figure this out,” Hunk said, “Keith, your computer.” He held out his hand for Keith’s laptop.

Keith blinked, “What is going on?” He asked as Hunk grabbed it and typed in ‘Pottermore.com.’

“We’re going to determine your Hogwarts house,” Lance said.

Keith sighed, “I was writing a paper guys,”

“You can go back to it in a few minutes,” Shiro said, “First create an account.”

It took a few minutes, but finally Keith was faced with the test. “These questions are so arbitrary.” He said. “What…what does ‘left’ or ‘right’ have to do with anything?”

“Just answer the questions,” Shiro said. Keith sighed and clicked ‘right.’

Finally the computer hit ‘processing results’ and they all stared at the little circle. It loaded and read ‘Gryffindor.’

Lance was fuming, “What did I tell you? WHAT did I tell you? Garbage website.”

“Red IS your color,” Shiro said to Keith.

“Not to mention the way he runs into situations in games,” Hunk says, “Barely thinks, just does. Actually, the more I think of it, the more it makes sense.”

“Has the world turned upside down?!” Lance said, gaping at them all. Hunk and Shiro gave noncommittal shrugs. Frustrated, Lance went back to making Butterbeer.

“Do, uh,” Keith said, “Do you want my account?” Lance blinked at him, confused, “I just mean…I’m not going to use it, and if you want to be a Gryffindor on the site, I can send you the password and everything.”

Lance snorts, “Thanks but no thanks. Though, as you are agreeing with me—“

“I didn’t say that,”

“YOU get a taste of my butterbeer. And none for these heathens,” He said to Hunk and Shiro.

“Lance,” Hunk said, “I have a sweet tooth the size of Texas and that stuff is too sweet for me.”

Lance stuck his tongue out at Hunk and handed Keith the drink. Keith looked hesitant at it, then drank a sip, “Holy FUCK that’s sweet,” He said, swallowing it.

“Told you,” Hunk said.

Lance sighed, “I happen to like sweet.” He said.

Keith took another sip. “I—I like it too,” He said.

Lance brightened, “Really?” He asked. Keith nodded, “Great, you can split it with me!”

Lance didn’t notice the odd curious expression Shiro was giving Keith, nor the way Keith blatantly ignored him.

 

They walked down to the Shirogane/Holt/Prince apartment, weighed down with cake balls shaped like snitches, pretzel broomsticks, pumpkin pasties, chocolate frogs, acid pops and cauldron cakes. Or what Hunk said were those things anyway.

Inside, Matt and Pidge were setting up the display, using an interesting array of what the rest were sure was not up to building code. “FURTHERmore,” Lance said, who had continued this argument all the way to the house, “I have to be a Gryffindor, because I’m basically a Cuban Ron Weasley.”

“Why don’t you want to be the main character?” Keith asked.

Lance shrugged, “I got a big family, just like the Weasleys, we’re not that rich in money but we’re rich in love, like the Weasleys, and besides, I don’t want to be an orphan.”

Behind Keith, Shiro was making frantic signs of ‘stop talking,’ but Lance only focused in on Keith’s face of slight hurt. “You’re…you’re a—“

“Orphan?” Keith asked, “Yeah.”

The temperature of the room dropped several degrees, as everyone who heard didn’t know what to do or say. Keith sighed, “Look, its fine, I—“

“You’re just like Harry Potter!” Lance finally said.

Keith blinked in confusion. “Huh?”

“The shaggy black hair, the inexplicably getting into Gryffindor…it all makes sense now!” Lance said smiling, “All you’re missing is a scar on your forehead.”

Keith raised an eyebrow, “Okay, that’s the first I’ve had THAT reaction.”

Shiro shook his head at the both of them. “I think we should start the pillow fort, Shay and Allura should be back soon.”

The fort was precarious, but comfy as everything was littered with pillows and blankets. Shiro, Matt, and Allura claimed the couch on the grounds it was their place. Pidge perched on the arm next to their brother. Keith sat on one of the beanbags, and Lance sat next to him, smiling at Hunk, who was forced to share the other beanbag with Shay.

“Now, Keith,” Lance said, “I need you to give this movie your full attention.”

“Okay, Lance.”

“’Okay, Lance,’ like you agree? Or ‘okay Lance’ like you’re blowing me off?”

“Whatever makes you stop talking so we can get this over with.”

Lance sighed as he movie started up. He glanced over to Keith every couple of seconds to see if he was paying attention. Keith looked bored, but was indeed watching.

It wasn’t until Hagrid was telling his story to Harry about being a wizard that Keith’s eyes went round and Lance could see he was hooked.

Lance had abandoned watching the screen at that point, he had already seen these movies a thousand times, but watching a person slowly fall in love with Harry Potter was always worth seeing. Keith didn’t react much to things, a twitch of the eyebrow here, his mouth opening just slightly in surprise there, but it was unmistakably wonder and fascination.

It was only when Harry was celebrating Christmas with Ron that Lance realized…holy shit, Keith was actually an orphan. What if he was relating to Harry, like…more than Lance ever had? What if he was imagining what his life might have been if a giant whisked him off to a magical school?”

Wait, wait, wait, he told his psyche, he was being a bit stereotypical here. Sure, the DURSLEYS were terrible adoptive parents, but he didn’t know who had adopted Keith. He didn’t really know much about Keith’s home life.

That was when something Keith said came back to him, way back when he made that drink for Keith: ‘High School…wasn’t really the best time for me.’ That didn’t necessarily mean that related to him being an orphan, but…how do you ask for your archrivals tragic backstory anyway?

The movie finished, and Allura got up to change the disk for the second, while everyone else broke out of their seats to stretch, grab more food, and use the bathroom. “So?” Lance asked Keith, “What’d you think?”

“Why are there so many damn white kids in this school?” Keith asked.

Lance couldn’t help but snort, “Racism in Hollywood, my dude. I can direct you later to black Hermione headcanons. Technically, most of the characters’ race isn’t directly said in the books, though I think that’s just a copout for Rowling.” Lance bit into a pumpkin pasty. “Is that all you thought?”

Keith sighed, “It was…better than I thought it’d be,” He said.

Lance rolled his eyes, “You loved it, you can’t lie to me.”

Keith chuckled, “Love is a strong word.”

“But you’re not denying it,” Lance said, poking his cheek. Keith shook him off. “Mr. MCR actually likes something mainstream.”

“I like other mainstream things,” Keith said, “I just never got into Harry Potter.”

“So you ADMIT you were into MCR,” Lance said. Keith gaped, trapped by his own words, “Ha! Got you!”

Keith rolled his eyes, “Just turn on the next movie.”

The watched the second and the third, and Keith was enraptured with each of them. Unfortunately, that’s when Allura said, “Okay, I think that’s enough for the night.”

Keith and Lance turned to her in despair, “Aw, what?” He said, “It’s only midnight! On a SATURDAY. We can definitely afford to watch another.”

“Not in my apartment,” she said, as the others got up, gathering their things. Lance grumbled under his breath.

“You know,” Keith said, “My roommate’s out of town this weekend.”

Lance brightened, “Are you suggesting what I think you’re suggesting?” Keith nodded, “What are we waiting for? Lets go!” He grabbed the DVD’s off the movie stand and grabbed his coat. Keith was quick to follow him.

The others were left stunned as they slammed the door behind them in their wake. “So,” Matt said, “How long before those two just realized they ran off to spend the night in one of their rooms?”

“With those two?” Pidge said, “Probably not until morning.”

Indeed, the next morning, er, around 11:59, so that still counted as morning, Lance stirred awake. He looked at the computer which was showing the menu to Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows part 2. What concerned him more was Keith sleeping on his arm beside him. “Keith?” He muttered, his voice taking a moment to work properly, “Keith?”

Keith snorted and lifted his head, “What?”

“Did you watch all 8 movies in one go?” Lance asked, “I fell asleep…I think it was somewhere in the middle of Order of the Phoenix.”

Keith rubbed his eyes. “Yeah, you did. But I wanted to know what happened.”

“So?” Lance asked.

“So what?”

“So what did you THINK?” Lance asked, “I didn’t get your reactions for 3 whole movies!”

Keith sighed and rested his head on his own arm. “It was…pretty damn heteronormative. Like, no gay characters at all, which I guess is standard for Hollywood, but disappointing nonetheless. And some things didn’t make much sense.”

“They had to cut a lot in the books, it generally makes more sense there.”

“150 is WAY too many points for a snitch catch,”

“So JK Rowling doesn’t know math, come on, just tell me did you like it?”

Keith bit his inner lip as Lance stared at him in concentration. “Yeah. Yeah, I liked it.”

Lance threw his hands up in the air, “Woohoo! Success!”

Keith let his head fall back on the bed, “Shuuush, I’ve got a headache. I only slept a little bit.”

“Yeah yeah.” Lance said, checking his watch. “I’m exhausted too, but fuck, I need to do my homework.”

“You’re in Iverson’s Vector’s class, right?” Keith said, sleepily, “You wanna just borrow my notes?”

Lance looked down on him, “You’d do that?”

“Sure,” Keith said, yawning, “What are friends for?”

Keith lay there, blissfully unaware of the cascade of emotions his words sent into him. Friends? Since when were they friends? Since Keith started dropping into his work Mondays and Wednesdays and talked to him through his shift? Since they had started cooperating during beater drills, and learning from each other in seeker drills? Since just now, when they stayed up the whole night to watch Harry Potter?

Whatever the answer, Lance realized Keith was right, they were friends. Rivals, maybe still. But friends nonetheless.

He wanted to say something nice to Keith, to solidify their newfound friendship, but a soft snore alerted him Keith had fallen back to sleep…Lance’s arm still pinned under him.

Well…he didn’t want to wake him up. Besides, he was tired anyway, and he had the whole afternoon to get his homework done. He lay back down beside Keith and let sleep wash over him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real things: Harry Potter watching parties are an important part of Halloween with the Quidditch team....that I never went to because I usually had other plans.  
> Butterbeer is ridiculously sweet, or at least the recipe we used was.  
> I think I made up some of the desserts, but I know our team made SOME of them as part of events. There was an incident making Acid Pops which I still don't know the details of. 
> 
> And fight me Keith is Gryffindor and Lance is Slytherin. There will be more discussion as to how they fit into those houses in later chapters. 
> 
> Though, Lance is right. Pottermore's kinda garbage. I was so excited for it once...once upon a time....


	9. Head over Heels

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The team goes to play against Galra for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ahhh I had more for this chapter but its already so damn long. We'll see if the next part gets a chapter to itself or if I can mix it with the next chapter. Sigh.

“Take this turn!” 

“No way, GPS says to keep going,”

“It’s just going to take you in a loop, if you turn, you can turn around and—you missed it.”

“I didn’t miss it, I’m following the GPS,” 

“Well, why didn’t you follow it back when we missed that exit?”

“You distracted me!”

“Take this turn!” 

“GODDAMN IT KEITH!”

Lance took the turn hard, and they heard the sound of a car honk behind them, but thankfully no one got hit and no one died. In Lance’s book of driving, that was considered a win. 

They were supposed to be going to a round robin at YMU and this week Professor Coran had agreed to take them in his van. He was technically their....Coach? It was unclear, but he was the professor who supported the team the most, including Pidge and Matt's dad AND Allura's dad. He had gotten really into it and loved helping out when he could. Except, his van only fit 7, so either Shiro or Lance had to take their car. Lance lost the rock paper scissors round, even with 2/3. Lance was pretty sure Shiro cheated with his robot arm.

Of course, Allura wasn’t about to send Lance out alone. Hunk was ready to volunteer to supervise him, as that was practically his second job, but that didn’t work with Lance’s plan to get him and Shay together. Pidge refused to help out, so he made Keith come with him. 

He wouldn’t have, though, if he knew how TERRIBLE a navigator he was. 

The GPS bleeped and muttered “recalculating route” and maybe he had been spending too much time with Pidge so he associated robots with sassiness, but he could swear the voice was giving him attitude. Finally it said “Take a U-turn.” 

“See?” Keith said, “Its taking us back the way we came, and it’ll be faster.”

The trip had already been somewhat miserable separate from Keith’s presence. Lance hadn’t realized how low on gas he was, assuming he could fill up on the way home, and they ended up all but pushing the car into an Exxon. 

What they SHOULD have done, and hindsight was 20/20 here, was pick up some shitty breakfast at the gas station, like one of those stale goddamn donuts. But no, Lance wanted to get a McDonalds egg McMuffin with a Starbucks mocha frappacino from the truck stop along the highway. Of course, that wasn’t accounting for the fact that neither Starbucks NOR McDonalds (or that particular one anyway) was open at earlier-than-dawn’s-buttcrack. They were opening, but Keith and Lance didn’t have that kinda time, so they went to the 24 hour truck stop gift shop and got the shittiest coffee Lance had ever seen along with hostess cupcake. 

And then there was the aforementioned wrong exit. Lance blamed that one on Keith. 

Allura called Keith for the third time, “We’re almost there, I promise,” Keith said before Allura could even say anything. 

Lance heard Allura’s harsh British accent through the receiver, and Keith pulled the phone away from his ear. Lance wasn’t particularly sure what she was saying, but he focused on figuring out the directions while driving, a difficult feat for Lance. 

“I don’t know what else to tell you,” Keith said, “We’re almost there. GPS says 5 minutes.” While not satisfied, Allura seemed to see that screaming more wouldn’t get them there faster. Lance wanted to think that meant they were saved, but he knew better. She was saving it for when they were there. “They’re lining up,” Keith said, “Allura will play beater for now.”

Lance breathed frustrated through his teeth, tense. He didn’t like games starting without him. “They couldn’t wait 5 minutes?”

“Galra’s pushing it,” Keith said, “Apparently Zach’s been breathing down Allura’s throat.”

‘Turn right,’ the GPS said, and Lance obeyed. “That must have her in a GREAT mood.” He said. 

Keith just gave an affirmative hum, holding up Lance’s phone so he could see which street it wanted him to go to. 

Then there was parking. It was not the cleanest parking job Lance had ever done, (Keith had to crawl over the hood) but it was parked and the two of them ran out down to the field. 

It was empty. 

“I don’t understand,” Lance said, “This was where they were set up last year. I sat on that boulder, it was right HERE.” 

Keith didn’t question him, just pulling out his phone and getting onto the facebook group. Allura had put a map of YMU campus, but Lance had ignored it, saying he knew the way. “This says the field is down that way,” Keith said, shoving the phone in Lance’s face. The field wasn’t that far, technically, but Lance could see they’d have to take a few streets to get there.

Lance huffed, “Lets go on foot.” Keith raised an eyebrow, “Come on, we’re seekers, we’ll just call it our warm-up. Unless you think you can’t keep up.” Before Keith could respond, Lance was running, bag trailing after him. 

Keith was quick to keep step with him, and Lance had the strange thought that Keith was a gazelle. Despite his short stature, his legs were practically as long as Lance’s. Which, Lance decided, said something about how short his torso was, ‘cause his legs were where Lance got most of his own height.

Then, a glimpse in the distance. Say what you will about Quidditch fields, the tall hoops were distinctive. Upon seeing them, Keith took off for real, and Lance pushed himself harder. 

They saw the game already in play. Allura was by the ref and the snitch, yellow headband on. As soon as she saw them coming down, she ushered Keith over. He grabbed one of the spare jerseys (he didn’t have his own yet) and slipped it over his shirt while still running over to Allura. She put the headband over his mullet and stuffed the broom between his legs before he had the chance to grab it for himself. He barely got the entire ensemble together before the snitch was released. 

Lance had brought his own broom with him, and already had his beater headband on, so he simply ran forward, mounting his broom and picked up a bludger as he ran up to the goals. 

Hunk was bent over, panting, as he had apparently been holding down the fort and acting as both beaters when Allura left to rest up and be seeker. He smiled as Lance ran past, beating out a Galra chaser who didn’t see him coming, but it didn’t seem like he was up for saying anything. 

Before Lance knew it, the ref blew a whistle and the game was being called. Lance looked over to see the Galra seeker, a girl with long pale-blonde hair and a jersey that read ‘Haggar’ holding the snitch. Keith was over to the side, breathing hard and using his broom to keep himself steady. 

Lance ran over to him, “Hey,” he said, “You alright?”

Keith nodded, “Just winded,” he said. Lance pat him on the back, and they made their way over to reluctantly shake the Galra team’s hands and wish them a good game.” 

The next game they have to ref, and Lance runs off to be the snitch. Except this time, Coran has volunteered to be head ref, and everyone else gets bumped down the line, and Keith ends up snitch ref. “Basically all you have to do is watch my ass and make sure they don’t try and cheat a win.”

Keith rolled his eyes and turned away. “Whatever, Lance.”

They had a while to wait, so they just watched the game. Galra was brutal, but Lance watched for strategy. There was a beater, jersey name ‘Sendak’ (what kind of a nickname was that? Unless it was his actual last name…) who was relentless. He seemed to be the type that enjoyed just beating someone as hard as he could even when he was right near someone. Lance hated beaters like that. 

“Hey Lance,” Keith said, “I’m really sorry.”

Lance raised an eyebrow, barely looking away from the game, “Hmm? What for?”

“For…getting distracted and not telling you about the turn until it was too late.”

Lance snorted, “Dude, don’t even worry about it.”

Keith blinked, “Really?”

“Yeah, man,” Lance shrugged, “It’s no problem, we got here eventually right? ‘Sides, I’m terrible with directions, so I can’t judge.”

Keith smiled and blinked. “Yeah, you really are,” He said. 

Lance scoffed, “Well excuse me, not everyone’s PERFECT like you.”

“I’m not perfect!” He protested. 

Lance snorted again, “It wasn’t an insult, Keith, you don’t have to defend yourself.”

“But I’m not,” Keith said, swallowing, “I’m not perfect.”

Lance sighed, “I guess that’s true, you have some pretty gaping flaws.” Keith raised an eyebrow, and Lance, laughing, reached out to grab the end of his hair, “Your taste in hairdressers, for one,”

“Hey!” Keith said, snatching his hair away, “Lay off my hair, would you?”

Lance laughed again, “Sure thing, sure thing.” They drifted back into silence once again, Lance watching the game. 

The Galra crushed YMU, which was hard to watch. Team Voltron (the cheer was still a work in progress) then played a quick and uneventful game against YMU which reminded Lance how much fun Quidditch could be when they didn’t play assholes. Lance was the seeker, but didn't manage to catch the snitch. They lost, but it wasn’t as crushing a defeat. 

They broke for lunch, after which they’d do all three games again so everyone played each other twice. 

Right now, though, the captain of YMU was coming over to them. “Hey,” he said, as they all got water and rested up, “So, we’re ordering some pizza’s if you guys wanna get in on that. We offered Galra too, but I think they’re heading out until next game.” 

They all looked to Allura who shrugged and said, “Sure, I don’t see why not.”

Lance threw his hands in the air, “Yeeees, pizza! Oh, wait,” He put them back down, “Can we get one of the pizza’s without cheese?” He shot Keith a look.

“Yeah, no worries,” the captain said, “We’re already getting a gluten free one.” 

Matt pumped his fist. “Awesomesauce. Hey, would you guys be up for a game of ninja while we wait?”

Lance held out his fist to bump Matt’s, “I like the way you think, slugger.” 

The Captain smiled, “I’ll ask my team, but I’m sure they’d be up for it.”

They played for a few minutes, although several people, Shiro and Keith included, sat back. Lance lost the first round fairly quickly and sat back to watch. He didn’t realize Keith was coming up until he huffed, face red and arms crossed. “Dude, what’s wrong?” Lance asked. 

Keith shook his head, “Nothing, Shiro’s just being…annoying.”

Lance raised his eyebrow and looked back at Shiro, “I thought you guys were like, bosom buddies.”

Keith huffed again. “We’re good friends,” he said, “But he doesn’t know me THAT well.” 

Behind them, Shiro was having trouble stifling his laughter, looking at him and Keith. “Oooookay,” Lance said, “Do you wanna—“

“How do you play this game?” Keith cut him off before they got into emotions territory. 

Lance sighed, deciding not to press it. “Well, everyone stands in a circle. When it’s your turn, you get to attack someone in one smooth motion, and they get one chance to dodge. If you hit their hand, they have to put it behind their back. If both of someone’s hands gets hit, they’re out.” Keith raised an eyebrow, confused. “Here, let me show you.” He grabbed both of Keith’s hands and held them up, as though Keith was surrendering. “This is the first pose you go into. So, say it was my turn, I could,” He ninja chopped at Keith’s hand, striking it. “See? Now that hand would be out. BUT you, as the one being attacked, also get one smooth movement to dodge. Here,”

Lance held up both his hands, “You try and do the same thing I did.” Keith sighed and chopped his hand at Lance’s, but Lance pulled his hand back, making Keith follow through and end up wayyy into Lance’s space.

The two blinked at each other a moment, Keith leaning over Lance. Lance felt warm all over, staring into Keith’s eyes.

Abruptly, Keith pulled away. “I don’t think this is my kind of game.” Before Lance had a chance to say anything, he marched back and sat next to Shiro who was absolutely shaking with contained laughter. He just barely heard Keith muttering “Shut up,” to Shiro.

“That boy is WEIRD,” He said to himself. 

Before he knew it, there was another game against Galra. Lance was getting really pissed at Sendak, their beater. There was one time the guy beat Lance out when Lance was right next to his own hoops! What even was the point of that?

The main problem was that Zach Kahn guy, though. He played chaser and TORE down the field. Lance got a few good shots at him, but even with his beating and Shay’s keeping, they were no match for him. It wouldn’t even have been so much of a problem except for the fact he always looked so damn SMUG about it. 

Since Lance had been seeker against YMU it was Keith’s turn to be seeker again. They put forward a different player, though, smaller than most of the others, but still looked like a giant compared to Keith. He had Keith’s long hair, but his was died purple to match his jersey. Lance watched him talking with Keith for a few minutes and he actually seemed to be…being nice? What kind of Galra player did that?

Still, when they were released, Lance watched as Keith and the Galra seeker, with a jersey that read ‘Thace.’ Thace wasn’t the problem, Keith could hold his own on that front. The problem was Sendak. 

Sendak had a purple bludger in hand and had his eye (dude had an eye patch wth) set on Keith. 

Lance had about 5 seconds to decide. He didn’t have a bludger, and Zach was careening down the field again, the other Galra beater (Haxus? What is with these terrible jersey names? Is it an in-joke or something? Did the Galran team even have a sense of humor? Ah, too many sidetracks!) was beside him, protecting him from anyone that might stop him.

Fuck it.

Lance ran to intercept Sendak as Keith and Thace closed in on the snitch. Sendak raised the bludger preparing to throw it at the unaware Keith.

In full action movie style, Lance ran in front of the bludger intending to catch it mid-air.

It hit him in the face. 

It was a mixed bag of being grateful and ungrateful that he remembered everything later as he hit the ground. The whistle rang out and suddenly a group of people were around him, Keith being the most prominent. 

“Lance? Are you okay?”

Lance blinked. In Keith’s hands was the snitch. He must have grabbed it while Lance was going down. “We did it,” He said, “We are a good team.” 

Keith blushed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First real things, then announcements:   
> Sendak is based on a real beater. He hit me in the hand, though, not the head. The headwound on my part was from a completely separate incident and I'll discuss it more next chapter.
> 
> Ninja was indeed a favorite game played in between quidditch games. There were many others as well I hope to touch on in later chapters, but we'll see. 
> 
> Not a real thing, just a note, there aren't enough named alien species in Voltron, so....for all teams that aren't Altea, Galra, or Arus, I'm making up weird acronyms. I couldn't keep track of them when I was in college, why should I know them now?
> 
> So, this won't affect THIS fic as much, but I put it on my tumblr so here goes:
> 
> I'm putting my Star Trek parodies on hold for a little cause they take forever to write, and I really wanna finish my Shiro & Keith friendship fic before season 2 comes out. All this means for THIS fic is that updates might be faster? Because this one does NOT take forever so I'm gonna keep doing it with not as many pauses?
> 
> As this is an AU I'm just going to ignore whatever happens in Season 2 unless it benefits me. I have a LOT planned and we're only just getting into the ~romance~
> 
> Thats...thats what was happening here. If you couldn't tell. If you can't then I'm a bad writer. Sorry.


	10. concussions suck

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith takes Lance to the hospital

Broken. 

Defeated.

Dead.

Oh, not Lance. He was fine, more or less. But his broom cracked in half.

The medic was standing over him, shining a light in his eyes and asking where it hurt. “My soul,” He replied, deadpan, as he sat up looking at the splinters. 

“Okay, I don’t think you have a concussion,” He said, “Or if it is, its very minor. Call me over if you start feeling dizzy or nauseous, alright?”

He nodded and sighed, and let Shiro help him up and over to the sidelines. Hunk immediately gave him a hug, saying, “I’m so glad you’re okay! Don’t scare me like that again!” 

Pidge and Matt gave him matching shoulder punches, which Lance tried to laugh off and pretend didn’t actually sting. He was like a peach, he bruised easy. “I think you’re the one who needs a nickname now,” Matt said, “I’m thinking…meatshield.”

“Aww, I was thinking ‘the Face,’” Lance said, “Like from the A-Team”

Allura sat across from him. “You should rest up. We only have one game left and we’ll make do without you. In the meantime, here, have some of the leftover pizza.”

“Why, Allura,” Lance asked accepting the pizza, “Are you asking me on a date?”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes and walking away. “Classic,” came the voice next to him, and he smirked at Keith, sinking his teeth into the pizza.

The rest of the team got up to go shake hands for a good game. Everything was fine until HE came. “Hey,” Thace said, as the team regrouped, “So, look, I know you guys are short a player, and we’re reffing anyway, and I was wondering if you would be okay if I came and helped you out.”

Allura blinked at the offer, “That’s…very kind of you. But we’ll have to talk to the ref and YMU about it. Is your captain okay with that?”

Thace looked back at Zach Kahn. “Ehh…he’s probably not going to be THRILLED I turn traitor, but, he won’t say anything now, he’ll just chew me out later.” 

Allura shrugged, “If the ref’s okay, I’m okay. We could use another seeker.”

“I do beater mostly,” He said, “But I can play as seeker when the time comes.”

Allura left to go talk with the YMU captain and Zach Kahn. “It’s good seeing you again, Keith,” Thace said. 

Keith’s face was unreadable, but he nodded, “You too.” 

Lance looked between them like they were playing tennis, “You two know each other?”

“It was a long time ago,” Keith said, seeming to end the discussion. 

5 minutes later Lance decided it was way more fun playing Quidditch than watching it. It was a complex sport, with usually a number of things happening at once. Lance decided he would become the Altea team cheerleader, sitting down still, but shouting encouragement (and sometimes instructions when he thought they weren’t doing something right) at all the players. 

All the players but one. “Coran,” Lance said, watching Thace sprint across the field to stop a goal just in the nick of time, “Is Thace a better beater than I am?”

Coran watched, “I don’t know,” He said, “Its hard to judge these sorts of things subjectively. He’s certainly fast. Almost as fast as our Keith,” Coran nodded at Keith who was beating beside Thace. They had bludger control, and were successfully preventing anyone from getting to the goals. “They do work well together as a team.” 

Lance grumped. He and Keith had JUST started to work well as a team, and this guy can in a few seconds? Why did that bother him so much? “Cheer up, Lad,” Coran said, “It’s only one game.”

They won. 

It was a close win, as they were 20 points behind when Thace caught the snitch. Allura cheered, ran up and hugged Shiro and Matt. The others thanked Thace.

Lance felt his heart sink.

“It wasn’t a REAL win,” Lance would mutter to Keith in the car. Allura had stolen his keys and given them to Keith so he could drive home. Keith was a…fast driver. Lance may have been clutching the door handle, but low enough that Keith couldn’t see his white knuckles of fear.

“Yeah, I know that,” Keith said, “It doesn’t count for the standings, especially since we had a player that wasn’t our usual. But Allura seemed excited.” Lance groaned. Keith looked at him out of the corner of his eye, “We’ll get a real win, Lance. With you alongside us.”

Lance smiled at him. “Thanks.” He was then broken from his concentration as Keith switched lanes, narrowly avoiding clipping another car. “HOLY CROW!” Lance said, seizing up and holding onto the door for dear life. “And Hunk says I’m a bad driver.”

“I’m an EXCELLENT driver,” Keith protested, driving way too fast for Lance’s comfort, and he was a speed demon. 

“Oh yeah?” Lance said, “Then why are you making me feel queasy?”

That got Keith’s attention and he slowed down. “You feel nauseous?”

“Don’t worry, I ain’t gonna hurl in my only blue left.” He patted the car, “But you’re risking something with this driving.”

Keith slowed, changing lanes until he pulled over to the side of the road, parked the car and turned to look Lance in the eyes. “How about now? Do you feel nauseous now?”

Lance frowned, considering his own stomach. “I…guess a little.”

Keith grew serious, “That’s it, I’m taking you to the emergency room.”

“What? Keith, I’m fine.”

“The medic said if you were nauseous to tell him,” Keith said, starting the car again and getting back on the highway.

“Well, he’s not here right now,” Lance protested, “I’m fine. Maybe a little tired.”

“Concussions aren’t things to ignore,” Keith said, picking up speed again. 

Lance sighed, defeated. “Fine, but I don’t have to like it.”

 

Once they were signed in, all that was left to do was wait. Keith called Allura and told her where they were. The rest of the team immediately volunteered to come make sure he was okay, but Lance declined, saying this was humiliating enough. 

However, it was an emergency room at night, and filled with people in a lot worse condition than a ‘maybe’ concussion, so they had a lot of waiting to do. “So…” Lance said, “What’s the deal with you and Thace?”

“Who?” Keith asked.

“Thace,” Lance asked, “Galra guy who helped us? Purple hair, had ‘Thace’ on his jersey?”

“Oh,” Keith said, “The Ace. He must have shortened his old nickname.”

“So?” Lance said, “Deal. What is.”

Keith sighed, “He…was my foster brother. A few houses ago.” 

Lance opened his mouth, “Oh,” he said, suddenly very guilty, “I, uh—“

“Lance,” Keith said, “It’s fine.” He shrugged, “I’ve moved out now, I’m on scholarship and I stay at the school, so, I like to think it’s all in the past.”

Lance nodded, trying to read his expression, but it was like he put up walls. “So, seeing Thace today…”

“Not…the MOST comfortable thing,” Keith said, “But it’s fine, really.” Keith said, getting a paper cup of water.

Lance smirked, “The more you say ‘it’s fine’ the less I believe you.” Keith sighed, “You don’t have to talk about it,” He said, “I just thought he was an ex-boyfriend of yours or something.”

Keith did a perfect spit-take, “How…how did you know I was gay?”

Lance blinked at him, “I didn’t, that’s just where my mind usually jumps.” Keith swallowed, “It’s okay, man, I’m bi, and we already know Pidge is nonbinary. I didn’t mean to like, out you, but we’re a pretty accepting bunch.”

Keith nodded, face still masked. “I know. I mean, I wasn’t trying to keep it a secret, really, I just…Shiro knows, but its something…I don’t bring up much.”

Lance bit his inner lip, “High school was a hard time?”

Keith smirked, “High school was a hard time,” He confirmed. 

Lance patted him on the back. “High school was hell, man,” He said, “Like, there was this one kid I kept trying to be friends with, and he ignored me all the goddamn time.”

Keith rolled his eyes aggressively, “You had plenty of friends,”

“Aha!” Lance said, pointing at him, “You DO remember me!” He was getting looks from other people, and moving so much was making his head spin more, “I knew it.”

Keith laughed at him, “Oh my god, shut up,” He said, “Yes, I remember you, vaguely, I just…I kinda avoided making friends.”

Lance giggled, “I knew you were an antisocial weirdo,” Keith rolled his eyes, “I’d have been the best friend you’d have had, though.” 

Keith smiled, “I’m sure you would.” 

“Lance McClain?”

They got up and went in to see the doctor. Lance had to give various answers about his health until finally they got to the big question, “So, what happened,”

“Well, I was playing Quidditch, and…”

“Quidditch?” The nurse asked. He was pretty sure it was a nurse. Actually, he had no idea how things worked around here, “Like from Harry Potter?”

Lance blinked at her, “Uhh…yeah, like from Harry Potter.” He said. “Anyway, I got hit in the head with a ball and—“

“How do you play Quidditch?” She asked, “You know, like…with flying and…”

Lance snorted through his nose, “we run,” He said, “Anyway, when the ball hit me in the face—“

“But what about brooms?” She asked, “And the balls? Aren’t they supposed to fly?”

Lance’s patience was running thin. “We run with brooms and throw the balls.”

“But what about the snitch—“

“Um, miss,” He said, “I kinda might have a concussion, so, you know—“

“Oh, of course,” And she continued filling out paperwork.

Finally, FINALLY, they were let into a room. Where they still had to wait, but at least there was a television. No way to change the channel, but hey, TV was TV. “What is this?” Lance said, hearing about half the dialogue.

“I think it’s a movie.” Keith said, looking at it. “Like, its filmed like a movie.”

“A bad movie.” Lance said, still watching the scared group of people huddled in the desert shack, “Is this horror?”

“I don’t know,” Keith said, “I’ve been watching for as long as you have.”

The desert ground moved in a wave, “What the shit,” Lance said, watching, “Giant…desert worm?”

“Oh my god this is amazing,” Keith said, entranced. Lance looked at him, ready to laugh at his joke, but was surprised to find he was serious.

“Seriously? This is the kinda movie you—“

“Shh,” He told him, watching in fascination. 

Lance rolled his eyes. “You wanna sit up here?” 

Keith was finally pulled from the weird horror flick, “Hm?”

“Those chairs look uncomfortable,” Lance said, scooting over and patting the spot next to him. Keith hesitated, then sat next to him. “Besides, now I get to use you as a pillow,” He rested his head on Keith’s shoulder, closing his eyes. Hmm, maybe he did have a concussion, or he was just really tired. It felt good to slip away in either case. 

The last thing he remembered was Keith taking out his phone and saying into the receiver, “Hi Shiro…I may take under consideration the idea that you could be right.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not...OVERLY thrilled with this chapter. I just wanted a hospital scene. Uh. Anyway, Keith chapter next hopefully that will help things. 
> 
> Anyway, Real things!
> 
> Yes, sometimes people from other teams will play on teams with less players. these are for unofficial games. Why was this one an unofficial game? Shut up.
> 
> Also, I understand wanting to know how mere muggles play quidditch, but MAYBE WHEN YOUR CHECKING SOMEONE OUT FOR A CONCUSSION IT ISNT THE BEST TIME. Yeah, that happened to me. It was a light concussion, so minor it didn't really matter I just needed sleep. Which is what Lance has. 
> 
> Also I think that movie is called like 'the worm' or something? IDK I saw it at the hospital. It was pretty bad. Keith would love it.


	11. The Librarian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith's having a calm day at work. No he's not. He's suffering. Always suffering.

_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad…_

Keith closed his eyes in second hand embarrassment before he remembered he was reading a book not watching a movie and he’d have to read the words in order for the story to progress. Sometimes when he was drawn into a story he forgot about these things.

“His hair is as dark as a blackboard,” It took Keith a moment to realize that the voice wasn’t in his head, and he picked his head up, coming face to face with Lance. Lance smiled at him, “You’re reading the books! I’m like a proud mother hen. And on ‘Chamber of Secrets’ already, you must love it.”

Keith used the book cover as a bookmark, and pushed Lance’s head out of his space. Then, the ever helpful assistant, he folded his hands and looked respectful, “Is there something I can help you with today?”

Lance leaned on the counter, his short hairs sticking up, probably from the static in the air. “I didn’t know you worked in the library.”

Keith nodded, “Gives me some extra cash and a place to study.”

“And catch up on Harry Potter like the rest of the universe,” Lance said.

Keith rolled his eyes, “Is there something that you needed, or are you just here to pick on me while I’m working?”

“Well, I mean, you bother me when I’M working, so it’s only fair…” Lance said. Keith raised an eyebrow at him. “Also, my teacher gave me this list of books to use for a paper, and I have no clue where to find them.”

He passed a sticky note to Keith, who looked them over, “I mean, they’re probably be in the astronomy section,” Keith said, “You know, cause these are astronomy books.”

“Haha,” Lance said sarcastically, “And…where would that section be?”

Keith looked at him “Lance, you’re an ASTRONOMY major. How do you not know where the section is?”

“Look, Mr. Sass,” Lance said, “I do most of my research online, if you must know, but Montgomery wants book resources for this project. Besides,” He looked around, “Have you actually tried navigating here? All the shelves look the same! It’s like a goddamn maze!”

“Uhh…yes I HAVE tried to navigate it,” Keith said, “I work here.”

Lance glowered, “Can you help me or not?”

Keith giggled—honest to God giggled—and pulled up the library catalog. “Looks like we have these, though I assume you knew that since your teacher suggested them.” He wrote down the numbers on a sticky note and gave it to Lance. “Take the stairs behind you down a level, walk straight through the shelves and take a left when you make it to the hallway. Keep going until you see the sign for ‘Astronomy.’”

Lance gave him a thumbs up, “Thanks, I’ll see you in a bit.”

Keith watched him leave, still smiling. It was only after Lance disappeared down the staircase that he realized what he was doing, and he put his head on his desk in anguish. Fucking crushes.

It was all Shiro’s fault. He had been happy, he and Lance were getting along, he had friends in Pidge and Hunk and sometimes Shay…he didn’t want anymore, and he didn’t NEED anymore. But Shiro…

He’d pulled Keith off to the side during the lunch break, and asked that goddamn question, “Hey, what’s up with you and Lance?”

Keith didn’t think anything of it at first, “Sorry, it was my fault we were late, we just missed an exit—“

“Not what I meant,” Shiro said. Keith raised an eyebrow, “I mean…you had this weird expression on your face earlier. Plus, you’re smiling a lot more.”

Keith blinked at him. “We’re friends,” He said, “I smile with you and Pidge and Hunk too.”

Shiro nodded, “Okay.”

Somehow, his willingness to drop the subject made him more infuriated. Like he was humoring Keith. “You read too much into things,” he said.

“Okay,” Shiro said.

Keith frowned. Just because they were getting along now didn’t mean he LIKED him. Sure, they spent a lot of time together, especially at practice since they were both seekers. And Keith had been going to see Lance at his work after fencing practice pretty consistently, where Lance would make Keith a drink and they’d talk until the café closed. Sometimes Keith was just doing work though, that didn’t mean anything. And sure, Keith might have felt something stirring when he woke up in Lance’s arms after Halloween, but it was an awkward situation! Anyone would have felt something.

Ugh, he was thinking in circles. He left Shiro’s mocking smile to go play the ‘Ninja’ game with Lance and the others.

That had been a mistake as he had ended up hovering over Lance, his face inches from him. He had felt his face flush and an image flashed into his brain of leaning down to kiss him.

But that was just because Shiro had been IMPLYING things. It put thoughts in his head.

It didn’t help when he had the same thought, holding Lance in his arms after he’d gotten hit in the face with a bludger…

And how warm he had felt, how open he felt talking with Lance in the hospital waiting room. Like he could talk with Lance about things he hadn’t talked about with anyone else.

Finally, as Lance curled up on him, drifting off into sleep, and Keith felt so warm and comfortable…like he never wanted to leave, like he could stay cuddled up to Lance forever…That was when a single word floated through his brain.

…fuck.

He quickly grabbed his phone and dialed Shiro. “Hello?”

“Hi Shiro.” Keith said, looking down at Lance to be sure he was asleep, “I may take under consideration the idea that you could be right.”

There was 30 seconds of pure laughter on the other end. Keith sighed, “I thought you were supposed to be the mature one?” Keith said, in a low voice so as not to wake Lance.

“Sorry, sorry,” Shiro said, still chuckling, “It’s just…you’re always so serious, so seeing you all flustered is…different.”

Keith groaned into the phone, “Well, stop laughing and try and be more helpful.”

“Helpful?” Shiro asked, “How?”

“Help me stop these… ‘feelings,’” Keith said, looking down at Lance. Damn, he was pretty…His eyelashes were so long…

“I don’t think it works that way, buddy,” Shiro said. “Feelings aren’t controllable like that.”

“But this is really annoying!” Keith said. Shiro snorted, “Shut up! What do I do?”

“Well,” Shiro said, “It’s still possible this is a passing fancy. In which case, the feelings should go away on their own. But if they don’t…you could always tell him.”

Keith felt the blood rush to his face. “Shiro—I can’t just—I—“

“You?”

“Shiro, we JUST started becoming friends! I—“

“Okay, okay, don’t blow a nerve, we don’t want you both admitted in the hospital,” Shiro said, “As it happens, I think confessing at this point would be a BAD idea. You just realized today, and like I said, it could be a passing thing. Give it some time, think about it, see if it passes.”

Keith swallowed and nodded. “I’m sure it will.”

It didn’t.

It had been a week, and the weird images of Lance and him kissing, of thoughts about Lance’s bright beaming smile, of his goddamn eyes looking at him……it was like a plague in his brain.

It was the sudden obsession of realizing a crush, Keith knew. It would pass. He just needed to give it more time. In the meantime, he’d just…suffer.

His phone vibrated beside him. A facebook notification? He opened the app he hardly ever used.

 **Lance McAwesome- >Keith Kogane**  
_Uhhh Keith? Buddy?_  
 _I could use a little help._  
 _Also, how do I not have your cell # by now?_

Keith blinked at him, then messaged him his cell phone number.

_Ah! Yes, thank you._   
_Now I need your help._

What do you need?

_I…may be slightly lost._

Lost?

_I told you this place was a maze!_

Did you make it to the Astronomy section?

_Ah, yes, I did that. Got my books, right where you said they were, very helpful, thank you._

Are you still there?

_Well, uh…no._

Where are you?

_If I knew that I wouldn’t be lost and texting you._

You were just downstairs, Lance, how lost could you have gotten?

_Well, see, that’s the thing, I couldn’t find the stairs again, so I tried to find another stairwell, and I guess I wandered further than I meant, and…I’ve gone upstairs once, didn’t recognize where I was, backtracked, ended up going down a DIFFERENT staircase (how many staircases are there) and…now I’m lost._

Keith clutched his head. What the hell, Lance? Also, why did he find this endearing? He hated feelings.

What’s around you? Are you still by the shelves?

_No, I’m in a hallway. There’s an office by me, for some professor…Joaquim Dos Santos? Do you know where that is?_

I’m afraid I don’t. What else is around you?

_Uhh…there’s a sign for ‘ATMC.’ What’s that?_

Keith couldn’t help but let out a brief laugh.

Lance??? How did you accidentally end up going across the underground tunnel???

_I don’t know! I take it you know where that is, though?_

Yeah, I’ll be there in a few minutes. Stay put.

Keith made his way down to the Altea Tech Media Center (ATMC) laughing as he went at the ridiculousness of the situation. He found Lance, leaning against the wall, clutching his books to his chest. Keith laughed again. Lance scowled, “Laugh it up, mullet,”

“Sorry,” Keith said, “It’s just…you look like some lost schoolboy or something waiting for his mom,” he chuckled more.

Lance grumbled, “Can we get out of here?” He said.

Keith nodded his head and Lance followed him. “You got what you needed?”

“Yeah!” Lance said, brightening up, “I’m actually getting excited to write this paper.”

Keith smiled, “Cool. I don’t know if I’ve ever been excited for a paper before.”

Lance looked up at him, “I don’t often, not unless its about astronomy,” Lance said.

“Well,” Keith said, “I guess it’s good you’re an astronomy major then.” Lance’s smile nearly killed him. “If you don’t mind my asking, and feel free to ignore it, I hate this question, but what are you thinking of doing? You know, after college?”

Lance practically had a skip in his step. “Oh, I don’t mind at all! I’m going to be an astronaut, of course.”

Keith’s eyebrows shot up into his head, “Wow, you’re…really sure.”

Lance nodded, “I’m going to pilot the first mission to Mars.”

Keith smiled at him, “You’re not going to be the first one to step on it? Isn’t that usually the dream?”

Lance waved his hand dismissively, “Walking’s easy, I’ll get to that. But do you know all the challenges in FLYING something like that? There’s…gravity changes and rotations of the planet, and so many ridiculous factors. And I’m gonna be the one to do it.”

Keith was stunned silent. Lance turned to him, “What, don’t believe me?”

“No, no that’s not it…” Keith said, quelling his goddamn heart. “I just…am worried with your direction sense you’ll end up on Venus instead.”

Lance playfully punched him in the arm, “Haha, at least I won’t speed so fast I crash into an asteroid.”

Keith rolled his eyes, “I’ve never crashed,” Keith said. Lance chuckled. “Actually, I was thinking maybe you are a Slytherin after all,”

Lance gasped and clutched his chest, “And to think I gave you my butterbeer!”

Keith chuckled, “I’m serious! Think about it, the defining traits of Slytherins are cunning and ambition, right?” Lance nodded, “Well…you clearly have plenty of ambition. Not just with this, you really want to be the best Quidditch player too. Meanwhile I just…kinda go with things. I have no idea what I want to do, I’m not even declared.”

Lance was silent, and for a second Keith was worried he’d offended him. “But…you were always the best…” Lance said, “In high school, in track...you study all the time!”

Keith snorted, “Lance, in high school, studying meant my foster family left me alone in my room. Track meant I didn’t have to go home right away. Hell I didn’t…” He trailed off, stopping himself.

Lance raised his eyebrow, “You didn’t…what?”

Keith sighed, “I didn’t really want to go to college, initially.” He said, swallowing. He didn’t dare look at Lance’s reaction, “That’s why I took a gap year. But, I couldn’t make enough money at a minimum wage job to move out of my foster home, and I aged out, and…I had this scholarship. So, here I am.”

Lance was quiet beside him. “That’s…” he finally said, “I…didn’t know any of that.”

Keith shrugged, “No one did.”

“Well…” he said, “I mean, at least you’ll get the line on your resume after college. That should help with jobs,” Keith nodded, “Plus, maybe you’ll find something you like in college.”

Keith shrugged again, “That’s the hope.” He swallowed, “Anyway…I’m…kinda jealous that you seem to know what you want to do.”

Lance gave a low chuckle, “Keith Kogane, jealous of me…did I accidentally tumble into an alternate dimension when I got lost?”

Keith gave a surprised laugh, “I don’t think so.”

There was an awkward silence for a second, before Lance broke it, “So, you’ve convinced me of the ambition bit,” He said, “But I don’t see myself as particularly cunning,”

“Who’s the one yelling strategies at me from the sidelines all the time?” Keith said, “You’re…the man with a plan, Lance.”

“I thought you didn’t like my strategies,” Lance raised an eyebrow at him.

“Well, I didn’t say they were GOOD plans,” Keith said, hiding his smile.

Lance gave him a friendly shove and he yelped. From the side came a loud “SHH!!” They had returned to the library section of the building. They giggled, guiltily.

“Well,” Lance said, lowering his voice, which made Keith’s neck hair stand up on end, “We can’t all be sports robots like you, strategies and plays help us work as a team.”

Keith rolled his eyes, “If you exercised more, you could get better, you know.”

Lance sighed, “I’m not going on your jogs at the buttcrack of dawn.”

Keithc chuckled, “The pool’s open at that time, you know,” Keith said, “We could go to the gym together, I could use the machines and you could swim.”

Lance screwed up his mouth, “I suppose…I could try it out for ONE week.”

Keith smiled, “I’ll see you tomorrow, then, bright and early.”

Lance sighed, “You owe me a coffee, then, that’s the only way I’m getting up.”

“Alright, alright. How about I trade you coffee in the morning for those…frozen hot chocolate things you make.”

Lance smiled, “You really like those, don’t you?”

Keith nodded, “You have a rare talent,” Keith admitted, “Maybe you could be the first barista in space.”

Lance scoffed, “Yeah, yeah.” They made it to the lobby, “Come on, check me out,”

Keith blushed, then realized he meant the books. “R-right, of course.” He went back behind his desk and started scanning the books.

“Hey,” Lance said, “When are you off work?”

Keith gave a tiny frown, confused, “Uhh…4:00, why?”

Lance shrugged, “I’ll be working on my project the rest of the day, thought maybe you’d like to study together. Or you could just read Harry Potter with me, whatever.”

Keith couldn’t hold in his smile, “I’d like that.”

Lance’s smile could light up a city, and dammit if Keith wasn’t sucked into it. “Stop by my dorm. See you then, then.” He said, scooping his books up and heading out.

Keith rested his head back down on the desk, “Fuck.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Real things:
> 
> Dammit if I didn't get lost in that freaking library. Goddamn maze. 
> 
> Also, Keith is still in that first bit of a crush where he's suddenly overwhelmed with his feelings. He thinks it'll pass. Little does he know there's me, standing behind him with a pen, pulling the strings. :)
> 
> Edit: I need to stop updating fics right before bed when I can't remember not to FUDGE UP THE FUCKING FORMATTING. Its better now, sorry 'bout that


	12. What a Good Friend

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keith and Lance are good friends who do friendly stuff together

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm alive!
> 
> This is kinda a transition chapter, sorry. I'm going to try and get out a chapter a day until this work is finished, I have it all mapped out, hope you like it!

“My hair…is frozen…” Lance said, as he and Keith walked back from the gym.

“That’s what you get for not drying your hair first,” Keith told him.

“Hmph,” Lance said, “Blow-drying my hair makes it frizz out. It’s best if it air-drys.”

“Or freezes, as the case may be,” Keith said. Lance stuck his tongue out at him. “I’m surprised it hasn’t dried yet, with all the time you took in the locker room.”

“Beauty takes work,” Lance said, taking a lock of his hair and snapping it, “Look at it! Frozen solid.”

“Do you wanna borrow my coat?” Keith offered. The sun was up but they could hardly feel it in the late November air. Lance had finally (with much grumbling) agreed to come with Lance for morning exercise once he got back from thanksgiving break. Keith went to the gym’s treadmill instead of his usual jog around campus, while Lance did laps in the pool.

“That’ll help my arms,” Lance said, “not my hair. It’s my head that’s the problem.”

Keith took off his coat and draped it on Lance’s head. Lance glared at him while Keith smiled. “Thanks,” He said, dryly.

“You’re welcome.”

“You know I’m keeping your coat. You’ll freeze.” Lance shot at him.

Keith shrugged, shivering, “Worth it.”

It wasn’t a huge sacrifice as Keith and Lance made it to the dining hall to sit down for breakfast. Lance had never been awake early enough for breakfast in the dining hall before. “What the hell are ‘grits’?” he asked, looking at the menu.

“It’s like, corn, and stuff,” Keith said, helping himself to a heaping pile. “I used to eat them all the time as a kid.”

“Isn’t it a southern…Texas kinda thing?” Lance asked. Keith nodded his head, looking at Lance like he was missing something obvious. “Your…parents were from Texas?”

“They were. As was I,” Keith said.

Lance frowned at him. “How come you went to high school in Pennsylvania with me, then?”

Keith shrugged. “Foster parents moved.”

“Ah.” Despite his earlier proclamations that Keith was Harry Potter, Lance wasn’t always sure how to deal with Keith talking about his past.

“Lance.” Keith said, as they sat down with their food, “You’re doing that thing again.”

“What thing?”

“The thing where you don’t know what to say so you look away awkward and wait for the topic to change.”

Lance looked down, ashamed, “Sorry…”

“It’s alright,” Keith said, “I don’t mind it as much anymore.”

Lance gave him a half smile, knowing Keith was humoring him. “You should come over to my dorm tonight,” He said.

Keith blinked, “Uh…alright?” His face went slightly red. He was always awkward with social interactions, despite the fact he and Lance spent most of their time together these days anyway, “Why?”

Lance shrugged, “There’s still so much of the Harry Potter fandom I need to introduce you too. Like, A Very Potter Musical, or Potter Puppet Pals. That was my JAM as a kid.”

Keith rolled his eyes, “I still haven’t finished the BOOKS yet, Lance.”

Lance waved his hand dismissively, “But you know what happens. Come on, it’ll be fun.”

“One step at a time.”

Lance sighed dramatically, “Fine. You should still come over, though.”

“Why?”

Lance gave a half shrug, “Its fun having you around.”

There was definitely a pink twinge to Keith’s cheeks at that. Aw, Lance thought, he gets embarrassed about compliments, how cute. What a great friend.

Keith looked at his phone to distract himself. “Allura posted in the facebook group.”

Lance took out his own phone to check.

**Allura Prince**

I just received the strangest e-mail this morning….  
“Here ye, here ye, the Arus University Quidditch team is hosting a Quidditch tournament THIS WEEKEND. While we are aware this is…SLIGHTLY last minute, we have agreed to make up for it by catering to all teams that agree to come. So, please come. Just tell us what we need to do to make you come. That sounded dirty. Sorry. You can come to our tournament to yell at us for being inappropriate. Please. Pls.”

 **Lance McAwesome:** AW YEAH PARTY AT ARUS  
**Keith Kogane:** Is it a party or a tournament?  
**Lance McAwesome:** With Arus? Probably both.  
**Keith Kogane:** Okay. I’m in.  
**Shay Balmera:** Sounds like it’ll be interesting.  
**Matt Holt:** We’ll come, but I still think we should enact some sort of penance for emailing us so last minute.  
**Lance McAwesome:** I demand human sacrifice.  
**Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane:** That seems extreme.  
**Lance McAwesome:** It’s an extreme game.  
**Keith Kogane:** X-treme sports: Quidditch would be interesting.  
**Lance McAwesome:** :D Keith that’s amazing. *high five*  
**Keith Kogane:** Lance, you’re sitting right next to me. Why can’t you just give me a high five in person?  
**Lance McAwesome:** ‘CAUSE I DON’T PLAY BY YOUR RULES MAN  
**Hunk Garrett:** Why are you with Keith? Where are you right now?  
**Hunk Garrett:** Oops, thought this was a message. I just woke up.  
**Hunk Garrett:** Just checked my calendar and I’m on board with the tournament, btw.  
**Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane:** The question stands, though. Why ARE you two together?  
**Keith Kogane:** We went to the gym together.  
**Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane:** Funny, you wouldn’t go to the gym with ME  
**Keith Kogane:** What are you getting at?  
**Allura Prince:** Guys, focus. We can’t demand human sacrifice. Dad says that’s against the school’s bylaws.  
**Lance McAwesome:** Aw, nuts.  
**Allura Prince:** Any other ideas?  
**P1dg3 Gund3rs0n:** They must perform a dance in our honor.  
**Allura Prince:** I like it. And with that we have the whole team agreed to come. See you all at practice!

“Lance, stop being a dick,” Keith said as they practiced.

Lance giggled like a maniac, “I call this move, ‘Vengeance For Warm-Up Drills.’”

Keith glared at him. He then looked back at the bludger Lance was holding well above his head to keep Keith from getting to it. In reality, Keith wasn’t that much shorter than Lance, really. The problem was Keith was all legs, which helped with running fast, but meant Lance’s lanky arms were plenty long enough to hold the ball out of reach.

That didn’t mean Keith wouldn’t try, though. Driven by competitive instinct, he ran at Lance, grabbing his shoulders and using him as leverage to jump up in the air, getting a hand on the bludger and pulling it down.

Lance yelped in surprise, and the force of Keith’s jump pushed him down to the ground, until the both of them were in a heap, the bludger rolling away.

Keith scrambled off Lance, one hand on his broom as he crawled to the bludger. The problem was Lance was scrambling too, ending up reaching over and landing on top of Keith. “Get off!” Keith shouted, struggling to curl the bludger in on himself.

“You get off!” Lance shouted back, trying to pull the bludger away.

“You’re the one straddling me!”

“Its mine!”

“No!”

“Yes!”

“You know, I had thought with them being friends the petty squabbling would stop.” Allura muttered to Shiro. All the other pairs had finished up and were watching Keith and Lance wrestle in the dirt.

Shiro shrugged, “It’s…gotten friendlier?” He said.

Allura sighed. She looked at her watch and decided that was plenty of time, “Alright, break it up, break it up.” Reluctantly, Keith and Lance separated, their uniforms covered in dirt. Keith allowed Lance to take hold of the bludger, which he held smugly. “Lets switch up pairs now. Rotate!”

Lance ended up going up against Matt, while Keith moved on to duel Pidge. Lance liked Matt, they made a good team. According to them, anyway. The rest of the team thought they were a walking disaster.

Matt wasn’t quite as competitive as Lance, so when Allura blew her whistle, they went for the ball (they used a quaffle this time because Matt was a chaser and weak), with less fervor, allowing for more casual conversation. “Mind settling a bet for me?” Matt asked.

“Matt, I’m beginning to worry you have a gambling problem,” Lance said.

Matt rolled his eyes, getting Lance into a hold and carefully trying to maneuver him to give up the quaffle with as little effort on his part as he could. “If you guys keep fighting like that, why do you and Keith always team up when given the chance?”

Lance gave a little shrug, holding Matt back with one arm. He was weak. Lance liked him anyway. “We’re not REALLY fighting. Not like we used to. Its just some good hearted competitive fun.” Matt nodded, not quite believing him. “You wanna know a secret?” Matt nodded more fervently. Lance lowered his voice, “We team up so that Hunk almost always pairs up with Shay.”

Matt looked over at the two in question, hanging off of Lance more like a koala than actually attempting to take the quaffle. Because they had rotated, Shay ended up with Allura, while Hunk took on Shiro, but they were still near each other, and still eyeing each other when they thought the other wasn’t looking. “They ARE adorable.”

“I have decided they are the two chosen hets.” Lance said, “Therefore, they belong together.”

Matt snorted, “Hey, how do you know they’re the only hets on the team?”

“Well, I could know for sure if you, Allura, and Shiro actually decided to tell us what your orientations were. Or your relationship together.”

Matt smirked. “That’s for us to know, and—“

“The rest of us to wonder, I know,” Lance said. He had made the mistake of trying to figure out what the three of their deal was last year (mostly so he could determine if any of them were single, and thus available for Lance to ask out) but they were stubbornly ‘mysterious’ on the subject. Lance’s current theory was that the three of them were just all dating each other, but he didn’t know for sure.

Matt snickered. “Ah well. Anyway. You should do something for them at the Yule Ball. Speaking of which, how are plans coming together?”

Lance finally spun out of Matt’s arms, still holding the quaffle and thus winning the round. They were the first to finish up, so they waited for the other pairs. “The space is rented, along with tables, chairs, and speakers. I had to fight the Model U.N. team, but we managed to get the room with the disco ball.”

“Nice!”

“Hunk’s putting together a budget for food.”

“Sweet. Tell him to get that to me, and I can take him shopping in Shiro’s car.” Matt said, “Next we have to plan the team fundraiser.”

Lance smiled, rubbing his hands together, “Oh, that’s gonna be so much FUN!” Lance looked over to Hunk, “As for the ball, we need to send out invites too. ASAP.”

“Talk with Allura about that. What teams did you have in mind?” Matt said.

Lance shrugged, “Arus definitely. They’re so sweet, I want to knit them all sweaters. Then, maybe YMU, Olkari Tech, The Mermaids…”

“Not Galra U?” Matt asked, joking.

Lance rolled his eyes, “Do YOU wanna invite them, slugger?”

Matt laughed, “Not particularly, no.” He said, “They are going to be at the Arus tournament, apparently.”

Lance groaned, “Why must they ruin everything?”

“Not all of them are bad,” Matt said, “Thace was pretty cool.”

Lance screwed up his face. “He was…alright…”

Matt had a strange smile on his face, the kind that meant he thought he knew more than Lance did. “Keith seemed to like him.”

Lance’s frown deepened, “They knew each other from foster care,” he said.

Matt nodded slowly, “Ah, that makes sense. They have a close, personal connection, then.”

“What are you getting at?” Lance asked.

Matt shrugged, “Nothing, nothing at all.”

By that time, the rest of the pairs finished up, and they broke for water. For some reason, Matt’s words were gnawing at him. Something about the way he said, ‘Close, personal connection.’ Lance didn’t like the idea of Keith being close with Thace, although he couldn’t quite put his finger on why. Probably because Thace was from Galra. Yeah, that was it.

“You okay?” Keith asked, coming over.

Lance jerked out of his reverie. “Yeah! Yeah, I’m fine.” He looked over, Hunk and Shay had gone together and started chatting immediately. Lance smiled at his friend, “I have an idea for operation: Get Hunk and Shay Together.”

“Nice,” Keith said, “Should we plan things out tonight? You can come over to my place so Hunk doesn’t hear.”

“Sounds good,” Lance says, and they high-five.

They turn at the sound of Shiro laughing heartily. Matt and Allura are chuckling beside him, and Lance could swear they were shooting glances over at Lance and Keith. “What are they laughing at?” Lance asked.

Keith’s cheeks twinged pink again, “Ignore them.”

Lance had the distinct feeling he was missing something important.


	13. Arus Tournament Part 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Team Voltron is in for some fun, some more than others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this is sorta becoming a series of events strung along by a thin line of plot. but the events are cute, so you have that.

“Welcome to Arus!” Lance said, opening the van doors and jumping out. 

Matt and Pidge had ridden with their parents for the short trip to Arus University, so the rest of the team bunched up into Professor Coran’s van. 

“Oh look,” Keith said, “Its just like our college but bigger.”

Lance waved him down, “Altea has more tech buildings and is generally awesome-er, but Arus has its charm.” 

“Move, Keith!” Hunk said, pushing past to get out of the van. With eyes laser focused on the ‘restroom sign, he ran past them. 

“There he goes.” Lance said, admiring his roommate charging into the building and out of sight. 

“Augh, I need it too,” Allura said, “Shiro, handle all the captain stuff!” And she disappeared as well.

“Kay,” Shiro said, despite the fact Allura definitely couldn’t hear him anymore. 

They went to go pick out a spot. Shiro went to go talk with the Arus captain (and find out if there was a schedule yet, when Arus did things last minute, they REALLY did them last minute), leaving Lance, Keith, and Shay to play toss with one of the bludgers they’d brought. 

“So, Shay,” Keith said, “Are you going with anyone to the Yule Ball?” This statement was entirely scripted by Lance, but heck, Keith went along with it.

“Uh,” She said, “That’s the Quidditch end-of-the semester party, right? I didn’t realize we were supposed to go with someone.”

“Well, you don’t have to,” Lance said, “But some people like to.” This was a lie, but if it was a lie that got Shay and Hunk to date, then it was a lie that was worth it. 

“Oh.” Shay said, “I hadn’t been planning on it. Who are you two going with?” 

Keith’s eyes immediately found Lance’s. They hadn’t planned on her asking that. Keith’s mouth twitched like he wanted to say something, but he kept it shut. Lance decided it was on him. “Oh, I’ll find someone here probably.” He gave Shay a flirtatious-but-not-too-flirtatious-wink. 

Keith’s face fell a bit. That apparently wasn’t what he was hoping Lance to say. He probably wanted Lance to say something that would take the pressure off of him, but now he had to lie too.

“Uh,” Keith said, “I’m…I’m going with Pidge as friends. Or, as a friend, we’re…friends…”

“Nice,” Shay said, “Well, I’m sure I’ll figure something out.”

Keith and Lance made eye contact again. Lance winked. All according to plan. 

Lance was distracted by the sound of a dog barking. Looking over, the Holt-Gunderson’s were parking their car, and Pidge was coming out, holding onto the family retriever—“Rover!”

Lance dropped the ball Keith was trying to pass to him and booked it over to where the friendly dog was already straining his leash to run free. Lance dropped to his knees before the dog and let him jump on top of him, giving him many friendly greeting licks. “Dammit Lance,” Pidge said, “We’re trying to train him NOT to do that.”

“But he’s so friendly and I love him,” Lance said, trying to give the dog a belly rub, pet his back, and scratch him behind the ears all at the same time. 

Rover finally leaped over him, going instead to jump up on Keith, who came up with Shay. “Good…dog…” Keith said hesitantly, patting his head and pushing him down until all four paws were properly on the ground. 

Shiro came to greet them as well. Rover barked at him for attention, but Shiro ignored him in favor of looking at his phone (a crime). “So, Allura just sent me a weird text.” He said to them, “It says ‘come to the bathroom, bring the team.’”

“Kinky,” Lance immediately replied. 

He received dual slaps from Pidge and Matt, “Dude, our parents are right there.” Mr. Holt and Mrs. Gunderson, however, seemed to be more enthralled with chatting with Coran.

“I…I guess we should go?” Shay offered.

They shrugged and headed for the building. They immediately saw the ‘closed’ sign in front of the women’s room and so headed for the men’s. 

Inside, they found Allura and Hunk, contemplating the scene before them. There was a tractor parked in front of a line of urinals. “What the fuck?” Pidge said.

“I don’t know,” Hunk said, “Its just…sitting there.”

“Why is this where they decided to store their tractor…?” Keith muttered. 

Lance shrugged, “Because its Arus.”

“I think we should take a team photo on it,” Allura said. They stared at her like she just declared her alien heritage. “Come on, I’ve been dying to do a team photo for this year, and this is a unique enough an experience I want the memory forever.”

They paused just a moment longer, before Lance declared, “I’m on the hood!”

“No way! I want that!” Keith shouted, jumping forward. The two of them struggled on top of the hood, as the others took their spots. Allura balanced her camera on the sink across from them, checking to see if the angle was right.

“Too late! I called dibs!” Lance said.

“You’re tall, you can be seen from further back!”

“So you admit I’m tall!”

“Alright! Stop moving!” Allura said. As it turned out, there was room on the hood for both of them if they squished together, something they didn’t mind. Lance actually liked hugging Keith. He knew Keith wasn’t as touchy a person as Lance or Hunk, so whenever Keith let him be physically affectionate, he felt special. 

They did not play the first round, possibly because the Arus captain chose teams to play the first round by who was standing closest to him, and Team Voltron was still in the bathroom. Most of what they did was sit around and play hand games. It turns out Lance, Shiro, and Hunk each knew a radically different version of ‘down by the bank.’ This led to quite the argument. 

Around that time, a girl on the Arus team came forward and announced, “It is time to dance in honor of the lion goddess!”

“The who?” Allura asked looking around. The rest of the team looked at her expectantly. The lion was the symbol of Altea Tech after all. “Oh! Oh, no, that was more of a joke, you don’t really have to—“

“The goddess is displeased!” Another member of Arus said, “We must commence with the human sacrifice!”

“Lance!” Allura said. Lance held up his hands in surrender. “I told you NOT to demand human sacrifice!” 

“I didn’t demand! There was no demanding!” Lance said. Allura glared him down, “I may have SUGGESTED—“

“No human sacrifice. My goodness…” She said, clutching her head. 

“So,” The woman said, “I may commence with the dance?”

Allura sighed, defeated, “Sure.”

Lance chuckled to himself, “I love Arus.” 

The day got chillier as it went on, and by the time they played their first game, the tournament had already devolved into complete silliness. Allura was trying to keep them playing as a serious team, but even Keith was getting laid back and just wanted to have fun. “Keith,” Allura said in a warning voice, “Come on, we at least need to have our Jerseys showing.”

Keith groaned, removing his coat. He shivered violently in the cold. Lance couldn’t help it, he draped his arms over Keith in an effort to help him warm up. Keith stiffened, then relaxed as Lance warmed him up. Lance paused, looking at the back of his jersey. “This isn’t one of the extra jerseys.”

“No…” Keith said, “Matt got us our jerseys last week.” 

Lance held him at arms length, getting a proper reading of the shirt. Across the back it read ‘Potter.’ 

Lance gasped. “You…you…you did the thing!” Keith smirked over his shoulder, “You did the thing you did the thing!” 

“I had Matt change it,” Keith said. 

“Allura!” Lance called, “Allura get a pic of our jerseys together!” Allura rolled her eyes, and Lance could have sworn Shiro and Matt were snickering behind her. Still, she took the picture of ‘Potter’ and ‘Weasley’ next to each other.

While they were all cold, the game itself was a hot mess. They played the Mermaids (that was their team name, Lance could never remember their school’s name). No one exactly knew what was happening at any given time. Altea was losing, but they didn’t honestly care all that much. At one point, Matt, Pidge, and Allura ran down the pitch under a blanket, Pidge sandwiched between them holding onto the quaffle. Another time, the Mermaid’s beaters took the one bludger they had and passed it back and forth on the sidelines.

Lance was having a ball, but what surprised him is Keith seemed to be happy too. His confusion must have shown as Keith turned to him, and asked, “What?”

Lance shrugged, “You’re just so…” He couldn’t figure out the right word. Cute? “Smile-y.”

Keith snorted. “I kinda figured when you called this a party it was going to be laid back, so I prepared myself not to take it seriously.”

Lance snorted, “You prepared to be flexible? Isn’t that kinda the opposite of—“

“Oh, shut up,” Keith threw his bludger, hitting Lance.

Lance giggled, “Friendly fire! Friendly fire!”

Keith laughed as he picked up his bludger. 

This time he could have sworn he heard Shiro mutter something to Allura about “…don’t even know they’re flirting…”

He wondered who they were talking about.

They did ACTUALLY play some. Lance chased down a pretty chaser for the mermaids, blocking her at every pass. “Hey,” He said, “I think I lost my number, can I have yours.”

She rolled her eyes, but did giggle. Not bad for the Lance book. “I don’t give my number out to people I’ve never met.”

“Well, then, why don’t you meet me?” He said, “Name’s Lance.” He threw his bludger at her, but she blocked it with her quaffle before throwing it through the hoops. 

“Placida,” She said, walking back to her hoops with a smile over her shoulder. Lance grinned watching her. 

“Hey,” Keith said, coming up, frowning, “What was that? I know you could have made that shot.”

Lance sighed, “Sometimes you have to sacrifice a battle to win the war.”

Keith’s cheery demeanor had completely vanished, “What war?”

Lance chuckled, picking his bludger back up. “The war of I’m-gonna-go-get-a-date-for-yule. Stay back I’m going on the offensive.” He ran up with the chasers, leaving a bewildered Keith behind. 

By the time he came back, Placida had agreed to go to Yule ball with Lance, and Keith’s mood had entirely soured. 

After the game (which they weren’t sure about the score but 80% sure they lost), the Arus captain came up to them, saying “Heyy, guys, so, a lot of teams have to go sooner, so, do you mind if we pushed your next game back later since you live closer?” 

They didn’t mind, and even pulled Shiro and Allura into reffing a few things. It wasn’t long, though, that everyone got cold. “Yo,” Pidge said, “I have my parents keys, race everyone to the car so we can pile in and warm up!” The team didn’t need to be told twice. 

Lance was first to squeeze in by the door. Hunk came behind him, and Shay behind him. Matt and Pidge took the driver’s and front seat, turning the car on and putting up the heat. It wasn’t until it was too late did he realize Keith was slinking in over Shay and Hunk’s laps, resting his head on Lance. “This okay?” He asked, but he was looking at Hunk and Shay.

“Yeah, no worries, man.” Hunk said. 

Lance looked down at Keith suspiciously. “Hey,” He said, “What happened to ‘smiley Keith?’”

“I’m smiling on the inside,” he said so deadpan, Lance couldn’t help but laugh. Keith smiled just a little, which made Lance feel accomplished. 

“Seriously, dude,” He said, poking Keith’s cheek, “What’s up?” 

Keith shrugged, not even trying to push Lance off “Just tired, I guess.”

Lance smirked. “Whatever, dude.” 

“Hey!” Pidge said, I can see the Galra game from here!” Lance looked over. He could see it too. 

“Who are they playing?” Shay asked.

“Olkari,” Lance said, “ooh, and it looks like they’re taking it serious. Apparently they didn’t get the memo.”

“The Olkari are putting up a good fight,” Pidge said, “but we all know how ruthless the Galra can be.” 

Pidge and Lance continue their commentary. At some point, and Lance didn’t even realize he was doing it, Lance ended up combing his fingers through Keith’s hair.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> real things: This was based on a real tournament, I did exaggerate some of the ill-preparedness, but not by much, not by enough.   
> There was a tractor in front of the urinals. We did take a picture in front of it.  
> We did not have a dance held in our captain's honor. We did have shirtless male escorts who followed us around.   
> We did all pile up in a car to get warm.   
> The chasers did run in a line under a blanket.   
> there was a time where the opposing beaters just played catch, but it was a different tournament.   
> More of the tournament tomorrow!


	14. Arus Tournament Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Galra team never takes things not-seriously, and Keith is dying.

Keith was dying. Lance was killing him. Did he not know? I mean, on the one hand, how could he, but on the other hand it felt like he was actively trying to kill him. 

Keith closed his eyes, letting Lance’s fingers lightly brush against his scalp. He listened to his voice, letting it wash over him. It wasn’t exactly soothing, as Lance was narrating the game, but it was still nice to hear. 

Fuck. It was nearing a month with this…whatever this was. And he KNEW Lance wasn’t interested. He just asked out a girl in front of him! But…the way he talked with him and hugged him and casually touched him and…like he wasn’t making up these mixed signals, right?

He sighed to himself, reminding himself that Lance was ALSO plenty physically affectionate with Hunk, and they were very explicitly ‘just friends.’ Keith actually asked Hunk once, and Lance apparently asked him out a long time ago, but it never went anywhere and they’re happy being ‘best buds.’

So, Keith was dying. He knew he had to move on, and hopefully he would…eventually. For now…it was actually really nice to have Lance’s hands on his head. Platonically speaking, of course. 

He was distracted by the commentary on the game when the door by his feet opened suddenly, and something furry jumped up onto his legs. “Ah!”

“Rover, no!” Shay said.

“Rover!” Hunk said, trying to calm the dog, “Rover down!” 

Lance opened the door on his side and slipped out while Shay got out on her end. Keith and Hunk escaped through opposite doors, but by that point, Rover had followed Lance anyway, leaving Matt and Pidge laughing in the front seats.

The second Keith emerged from the car, he was face to face with Allura. 

It was a shock to remember sometimes that Keith was actually taller than her, because the way she carried herself she seemed 10 feet high. And despite the fact he was technically looking down at her, he felt like a small child who’d been caught with his hand in the cookie jar. 

“Cozy?” She asked her team as they got out. 

“Allura!” Lance chastised, holding Rover by his collar, “You used the dog for evil?”

“Well, I figured I needed some way to smoke you all out.” She shrugged, “Seemed like the best way to get my team back.”

“Allura, its COLD,” Pidge complained, “We just wanted some warmth!” 

“And I wanted to know where my teammates were when I looked for them! Lance, you’re on snitching duty. The rest of you will support our fellow teams from THE SIDELINES.” They sighed, but gathered under blankets and went to the field. 

Keith ended up under the same blanket as Pidge, watching Lance stand, waiting to be released with the snitch ref…ugh, it was Placida. 

Keith groaned. “Boy,” Pidge said, “Matt was right, you DO have it bad.”

Keith turned sharply to them. “What has he been saying?” 

Pidge snickered, “He didn’t say it to me, he’s been talking with Shiro and I overheard. And once I heard that I figured the rest out myself based on context.”

Keith grumbled, “I’m glad my pain is so amusing.”

Pidge blinked, “I…that’s not what I meant.” Keith looked away, “Hey, wait, look…I actually think you two would be good together.” 

Keith didn’t turn back, “It doesn’t matter. He clearly doesn’t think so.” Pidge gave him a confused look. Keith nodded at where Lance and Placida were giggling and flirting with each other. “She’s his date to the Yule ball.” 

Pidge screwed up their face, “We have to bring dates to Yule Ball?”

Keith shrugged, “It was something to make Shay and Hunk date. Oh, you’re my friend-date, by the way. Sorry for not telling you sooner.”

Pidge rolled her eyes, “The romance has gone out of our relationship,” they said, deadpan.

“Shh,” Keith said, “One, I’m too gay, two, you’re too aroace, three, don’t say that so loud, your brother will kill me.”

“I’ll take vengeance, if it makes you feel better.”

Keith snorted. At that moment, Placida laughed loudly, and his mood fell again. “Look,” Pidge said, “He just met this girl, its just flirting.”

“And a date.”

“To a dance they were both going to anyway, probably, and was made as a ruse to get his best friend to date.” Pidge sighed, “You never know.”

“I don’t know if I want to know,” Keith said, “I’ll admit I’m…attracted, but that doesn’t mean we’d…you know…”

Pidge sighed, “To be honest, I would have put money on the idea you were already dating but keeping it hush, like my brother.” Keith pulled his knees to his chest, and sunk the lower half of his face beneath his arms. “If it bothers you, though…I can try to get them to stop gossiping. I’m sorry this kinda sucks.” Keith gave a non-committal groan. Pidge tried to pull him out of his arms. “Hug for warmth?” They offered. 

Keith smirked, “Hug for warmth,” and pulled them closer under the blanket. 

Teams were leaving one after the other. As soon as the Galra beat them, the Olkari got into their cars and ran off. According to the Arus chart, as soon as they were done with their match, they just had to face Voltron, and then the winner of that would go against Galra, to fight for tournament champion. 

“Guys, come here,” Allura beckoned them all close together, “I wanna do something nice for the Arus team during our game. Something really silly to go along with the mess of this tournament.” 

Lance bounced on the balls of his feet, “We should do a dance for them!” He said, “Since they did one for us.”

Shiro shrugged, “That does sound fun.”

“We don’t have time to choreograph, though,” Matt said. 

Shay was the one who smiled though, “Okay, here’s what we’re gonna do.”

Shay had just finished relaying their plan as they whispered and giggled, when Thace came up. “Hi,” He said.

They all jumped. Lance gave Thace a sour look, but Keith welcomed him, “Hey. What’s going on?”

Thace rubbed the back of his neck nervously, “Well, uh…you see, we have a long drive to get back to campus tonight, and we kinda wanna head out soon, but we wanna finish the tournament, right? So…we were thinking…if we could maybe move up the finale and then you can play Arus after, if you wanted?”

Keith frowned, “Move up the finale? What do you mean?”

“It means they assume Arus is going to beat us,” Lance said, sneering slightly, “And they don’t want to bother waiting for it.”

Thace had the decency to look ashamed, “I know it’s…kinda a dick move but…we really do wanna get home soon. If you’re not cool with it, then—“

“Its fine,” Allura said. The team turned to her, “The game might be more fun if the Galra aren’t here. No offense.”

Thace shook his head, “None taken. Would you be willing to ref?”

“Fine,” Allura said.

Lance sneered again, turning away, “I don’t wanna be snitch for them,” He said, as Thace slunk away.

“I’ll do it.” Keith said. Lance turned to him, looking betrayed, and Keith almost felt a little bad. “It probably won’t be as entertaining, but I can do it.”

Lance harrumphed and marched away to be timekeeper. Keith put on the unfortunate snitch shorts, waiting at the field’s edge to be called in.

This match was nothing like the earlier games. The Arus team was trying to keep things light and fun, but the Galra were serious and aggressive, and Arus wasn’t having it. 

Keith wasn’t sure who started it, or even what happened, all he knew was that beater, Sendak, was in the face of Arus’ captain, Klive or something (his jersey read ‘zap’), both of their fists balled up and ready to strike at the slightest provocation. Several Galra came forward, prepared to join in any potential fight. Before they had the chance to exchange blows, Allura appeared instantly. She had a hand on both their chests, pushing them apart. Slowly, they uncurled their fists and walked away. 

“Sendak’s got a temper,” Thace said, coming up as one of the seekers.

Keith nodded, watching Sendak retreat. “Seems that can be said about a lot of people on your team.” 

Thace hummed an agreement. “I’ve been thinking about quitting…”

“But what? Your love of Quidditch is too strong?”

Thace snorted. Keith had liked him at the foster home, as much as he’d liked any of his foster siblings. He let Keith be, and that was good enough. “No, no,” He said, “I just thought once Zack graduated it’d get better. But ‘Lotor’ over there is set to take over next.”

He nodded at a chaser with long pale hair. He was gritting his teeth at the Arus players. “Well,” Keith said, “Good luck.” He ran off as he was released into the game. 

Keith did his best to evade Thace and the Arus’ seeker. He tried to use all the tricks Lance had taught him, but still it didn’t take long for Thace to reach over, easily winning the game for the Galra. 

Lance was stewing. “What’s your problem?” Keith asked.

“My! My problem is the Galra, obviously, they’re…I mean did you see them almost get in a fight? They don’t deserve to win.”

“It’s just a game.” Keith said, but couldn’t help noticing Lance was glaring primarily at Thace. He wondered if that was because Thace had won the game for them…or if it was because Thace had unintentionally groped Keith’s ass. It wasn’t uncommon, and both Thace and Keith shrugged it off like it was nothing. Keith wanted to imagine that Lance was jealous…but that was too much to hope for.

But, it was time now. The Galra were gone. Arus and Altea were lining up against one another, ready to throw down. 

Coran had been called into referee, and the minute he said ‘brooms up,’ Altea rose up, not running forward as usual. Arus stopped, confused. 

On the sidelines, Hunk hit ‘play’ on Shay’s phone, which started blasting ‘Cotton Eye Joe.’

In sync, the Altea team started dancing to the music, meandering and stepping down towards the center of the field. Arus burst out laughing at the display, many of them quickly joining in. 

Despite the fact everyone was on brooms, no one was paying attention to the game anymore. Arus quickly joined them in dancing, and they laughed, stepping in time along the field, the quaffle laying abandoned.

And tempting. 

Keith stopped dancing and meandered over to it. No one stopped him as he picked it up, and tossed it through the hoops. 

Well, one person noticed. Coran blew his whistle. The teams didn’t hear it over the sound of the music, though. Technically, the quaffle should have gone off to the keeper at that point, but the keeper was busy suggesting the Macarena for the next song. So, with no one stopping him, he picked up the quaffle and scored again. 

He had done this about 10 times, when finally Coran’s whistle sounded between songs, and everyone looked around to see what that was about. They saw Keith, Quaffle in hand, score his 11th goal. “Hey!” The bludgers ran up, and suddenly, they were all in game mode again.

It was chaotic and messy (Coran was also the snitch runner? No one was really sure how that happened) but Allura put on her seeker headband and caught it before Arus figured out the snitch had even been released. 

“You tricked us!” The keeper said, a wide grin on his face juxtaposing his accusatory words, “You confused us with your hip dancing and lulled us into a sense of security!”

“Hey, it worked, didn’t it?” Allura said, swinging the snitch. “Good game though.” 

That was when Lance suggested two horrifying words as he hooked his arm around Keith and an Arus player’s neck, “Group Hug!” 

It was late, and they were cold, and everyone was high on adrenaline, so no one hesitated to squish in on each other, Keith directly in the middle of it all. 

“Hey,” one Arus team member said, “If they won, and it’s the last game of the night, does that mean they won the tournament?”

“I’m going to go with yes,” The captain said, somewhere towards the outside of the circle where Keith could not see. Arus and Altea teams cheered alike, “Congratulations! You all would have had to play the Galra, but considering they left and forfeit, you guys won!”

They all laughed as they slowly untangled themselves. Matt and Pidge’s parents were getting tired so they left quickly. Giggling, the rest of the Altea team packed themselves into Coran’s van. As the smallest, Keith, Lance, and Allura got squished in the back, Keith in the middle.

And still with all the chaos and mixed emotions and downright silliness of everything, Keith’s favorite moment of the entire day had to be Lance falling asleep on his shoulder.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> real things: We did not dance at the tournament this is based on. We took off our shirts and hugged people. We did win, though.   
> And group hugging was quickly a thing at these things. 
> 
> Also note: I'm at a convention right now, so I don't know if I'll be able to write a chapter for tomorrow. But it will come soon! and it'll be the Yule Ball!


	15. Yule Ball

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Altea team holds their end-of-semester party.

“Don’t drop it!”

“I’m not gonna drop it!”

“Oh no it’s gonna fall!”

“I got it, I got it!” 

Keith dived into the hardwood floor, just barely managing to volley the balloon in the air before it hit the ground. 

They had just finished setting up Yelmier hall for the dance. Streamers hung from the ceiling, there was a food table set up with Hunk’s Harry Potter Specialties, and a DJ table set up, which was just a table with speakers Matt (their DJ) could plug his phone into. 

There were also a number of balloons laying around. Which meant of course as they finished, they quickly devolved into a game of ‘keep the balloon up.’

“Hold onto your butts,” Shiro said, “I’m putting another balloon into play!”

“Shiro, no!” Lance said despite the fact he quickly moved into trying to keep both balloons up. 

“Shay, its coming to you!” Hunk said, hitting the balloon off into a spiral. 

“Got it!” She cheered, smiling over at her date.

Just as Keith and Lance had planned, Shay had quickly asked Hunk to be her date to the ball. Hunk was very confused at the idea, but was also so overwhelmed by the fact Shay had said the word ‘date’ and ‘you’ in the same sentence, he agreed without thinking about it too much. He, of course, realized LATER it must have been some plot on Lance’s part, but he handled that when it came time. 

“And what about you?” Hunk had asked, “Are you bringing a ‘date?’” he said, teasingly.

“Sure am, buddy!” Lance said, “This girl named Placida on the mermaids.”

Hunk blinked, earnestly surprised. “Oh, I thought—“ Lance raised an eyebrow, confused, “Uh…nevermind.”

Lance let it go and helped Hunk pick the perfect outfit for his *squeal* date. 

Lance had a date himself, but it was with far less stakes. He and Placida had exchanged numbers, and their texts had been pleasant, but hardly anything special. But hey, they were just getting to know each other. Lance had no idea if it’d go anywhere, that was hardly the priority. He just wanted a fun night with a pretty girl.

So why did he feel like he had to justify himself about it?

At the dance, Allura came in to spoil their fun. “Guys!” She complained at the mess, “Come on, the other teams are starting to get here. At least PRETEND that we’re a functional team of human beings!”

“Its just a bit of fun, Allura,” Matt said, “We have everything all set up already, nothing left to do!”

“Is the music playing?” She said, staring him down. 

Matt sighed and marched over to his DJ stand to plug his phone in. 

“The rest of you, lets get this party started!” Allura said, immediately grabbing Shiro’s good hand to drag him onto the dance floor. 

Lance took the opportunity to all but shove Hunk towards Shay. Hunk chuckled nervously over to her by the snack table. “H-hey, Shay,” Hunk said. 

She smiled at him. “Did you make all of these?”

Hunk shrugged, “Lance and Keith helped out a lot. Shiro…Shiro rolled the cake balls.” Shay chuckled, “You should come by next time, it can be a lot of fun just preparing things.”

“Oh, I don’t know. I mostly just know how to make stews and things like that.”

“Stews would be great!” Hunk smiled back. Lance sighed. These two were hopeless, and the Arus team was arriving. 

Now it was a party. Lance instantly ran off onto the dance floor, pulling a number of the Arus team into dancing with him. He danced around Allura and Shiro for a moment, desperately trying to annoy them, and knowing he had succeeded when Shiro pushed him away.

He looked around for the rest of his team as he and a pair of Arus players did the chicken dance. Matt was at the DJ station, watching Shiro and Allura, Hunk and Shay were dancing around each other metaphorically instead of literally, and Keith and Pidge were sitting on the sidelines chatting. This was unacceptable. 

Leaving the Arus players to chicken dance for themselves he came over to Keith and Pidge, “Hey! Party’s over there,” He jerked his head over to the dance floor, “This is no time to be a wallflower.”

Keith and Pidge looked at each other and chuckled like they were in on some secret joke. “We’ll dance later,” Keith said.

“We’re just…enjoying the view right now,” Pidge added, and Keith stepped on their foot. “Ow! Jeez, lay off.”

“Yeah, yeah, you’ll get vengeance on me later,” Keith said, “Go on, Lance, your date’s here.”

Lance looked at the entrance to see Allura greeting the Mermaids. Placida was up at the front, searching the crowd, presumably for Lance. “Alright, alright. You guys should dance, though. Keith, everything in place?” 

“Operation is a-go,” Keith said. Pidge raised an eyebrow at them like they were speaking a different language. 

“Excellent. By the look of things, we’ll have to use it.” Lance gave them each a friendly nod, and then made his way over to Placida. “Well, well, I didn’t know we’d invited the most beautiful girl in the world to the party! Oh, its my date.”

Placida rolled her eyes, but giggled, “You’re just full of lines, aren’t you?” 

“Like a notebook!” He laughed and took her arm, “Shall we?”

Placida smiled and let herself be guided to the dance floor. 

Now, not to brag, but Lance was a pretty damn GOOD dancer. He could sometimes be a silly dancer, because he was a naturally silly person and it was fun. But when he wanted to, he could bring it, rolling his hips in just the right ways. He was all about entertaining others (useful for snitching) and in this case, it was his dance partner. 

He took her by the hands, and danced with her in circles. He got her to laugh a number of times. It felt more like he was dancing with one of his friends than trying to seduce her. He liked making her laugh, and she was plenty pretty, but they never really got into any intimate moments. It was just their first date, though. 

Part of what might have ruined the mood was the fact Lance kept looking over his shoulder at Hunk and Shay, who were STILL standing by the snack table. Dammit, Lance could see Hunk’s nerves from here. Hunk always overate when he was nervous. 

To his side, Keith had begun dancing with Pidge. Neither of them were doing much other than swaying to the music, but it’s the attempt that counted. 

It wasn’t long before Lance finally got tired and brought Placida over to get some water and snacks where Hunk and Shay were chatting. “You know, you two,” Lance said, “We’ve invented this hot new thing called ‘dancing’ I bet you’d both like it.” 

Hunk and Shay just giggled. “Yeah…” Shay muttered. 

Lance narrowed his eyes at them. He felt like he was missing something again. He felt that a lot. “Well go on, then, I’m sure you’d like it.” 

Hunk swallowed, “Yeah…”

They didn’t move, just stared into each other’s eyes. Lance was getting concerned they couldn’t hear him, but eventually did make their way onto the floor and swayed slower than the music really required. 

Lance smirked. All according to plan, “Excuse me, Placida,” He said, getting rid of his cup of punch, “I’ve got to go handle some things, I’ll be back soon.”

“Oh…okay,” She said, looking somewhat disappointed. He’d make it up later. 

He went over to where Keith and Pidge were dancing, and tapped Keith on the arm, “Operation starting now,” He said, nodding at Hunk and Shay. Keith nodded, made his apologies to Pidge, and let Lance guide him out of the room. 

They made their way up the stairs and onto the balcony, where they had set up a spotlight and flower petals (the petals were fake and they had bought them, the spotlight Lance was renting from the college.)

He signaled down to Matt. Matt nodded and put on a song. A slow song. Lance smirked and turned on the spotlight, pointing it at Hunk and Shay.

The two of them squinted in the light, trying to figure out what was going on. Then Keith blew the flower petals towards them with a fan. 

All eyes in the room turned to Hunk and Shay. They kept dancing, awkwardly holding each other at arms distance as their eyes flicked around the room. 

Lance watched them with his face screwed up. This wasn’t right at all. They were dancing, they had everything in place for a perfect movie moment, but…the mood was wrong. What was missing? What did he need? “Why aren’t they kissing?” Lance whispered to Keith.

Keith shrugged. Below, instead of beautiful and cute, the atmosphere was growing more and more tense. Hunk looked up, squinting and blinking in the spotlight, trying to make out the shapes on the balcony. He muttered something to Shay and quickly left the dance floor and the room. 

It was tricky figuring out who the spotlight should be shining on now, as Shay was all by herself, so Lance turned the spotlight off entirely. By the time he did, he was being grabbed by his collar and pulled back into the stairwell leading to the balcony.

It took him just a moment to realize it was Hunk who was pulling him back, and he’d never seen Hunk quite so angry. “What do you think you’re doing?” He demanded.

Lance blinked up at him, “I just…I thought I’d help—“

“Help?” Hunk demanded, “Is this what you call helping?” He gestured to the flower petals and the spotlight. 

Lance swallowed, “I-I just wanted to give you guys something romantic.”

Hunk pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lance…some of us are less comfortable with public displays of affection. Romance doesn’t come from you trying to FORCE something.”

“I’m not!” Lance complained, “I just knew you were nervous and…I thought I’d give you a little nudge.” 

“Lance, we’re already dating!”

Lance’s eyebrows shot into his hair. “You’re wha…?”

Hunk sighed, “That’s what we were talking about down there. Not everything lives off romantic moments! Sometimes its just conversations about feelings. I told you, I don’t want you interfering in my dating life, so—“

“I’m sorry,” Lance said, swallowing. “I—I’m really sorry. I thought I was doing something nice, but its not an excuse and I—I’ll never do it again, I swear.”

Hunk shook his head at Lance. “I know you didn’t mean it. I’m still really pissed off at you though.” Lance winced. “Just…don’t…do that again.” Lance nodded emphatically. 

Hunk sighed and went to go downstairs. Keith stepped into the stairwell with Lance. Lance was still feeling sheepish and awkward. “Well…” Keith said, “That didn’t exactly work out as planned.”

Lance sighed, “No, no it didn’t.” 

“I’m…sorry I didn’t say anything,” Keith said, “I was just as much responsible for all this as you were.”

Lance shook his head, “We both know you were mostly just following me with one of my stupid plans.” 

“Hey, its not stupid,” Keith said. Lance looked up at him, “Maybe…maybe ill-advised or just…not necessary in the long run. But…I thought it was sweet.”

Lance smiled at him, “Really?” Keith nodded, “Well maybe I’ll meet someone someday who actually likes my grand gestures and what not.”

A strange look passed over Keith’s face. Was Lance just getting less and less observant? Why didn’t he notice these things? But, deciding Keith would tell him when he was ready, he let it go.

“Oh no, Lance,” Keith said, “Your date!”

“Crap!” Lance ran down the stairs. He had been so excited about trying to set Hunk up, he had forgotten about Placida. How long had they been up there, anyway.

He made it downstairs just in time to see Placida putting her coat on. “You’re leaving?” He said. 

She looked awkward, like she’d been caught, “Yeah…I have finals and stuff, so, I thought it better I turn in so I can study.”

“Oh, okay.” Lance said. “Well…text me?” 

Placida gave him a smile that was almost pitying. “Sure.” She said, and then took off with some of her friends. 

Lance sighed and hung his head defeated. “Worst Yule Ball ever,” He muttered. 

There was a tap on his shoulder. He turned to see Keith, “So…I apparently lost my date to DJ-ing.” He nodded at the music table where Pidge was sitting in place of her brother, while Matt went to dance with Shiro and Allura. “Do you wanna…” Keith looked awkwardly at the dance floor, “You know…”

Lance smiled, taking Keith’s hand and guiding them out. He had lost a lot of the energy he had earlier, and was satisfied with just lightly swaying while holding Keith in his arms. “I meant to mention,” Lance said, “You look nice.”

Keith smiled, looking down at his simple maroon shirt and slacks, “Thanks. Shiro made Matt lend it to me. I don’t have much in the way of fancy clothes.” Lance chuckled at him. It wasn’t funny, but…it was. “You look nice too.”

Lance adjusted his skinny tie fake-modestly, “Thank you, I know.” Keith was the one who chuckled this time. 

The world slowed a bit as Pidge put on another slow song. Keith turned to the DJ station, looking upset. “Is something wrong?” Lance asked.

Keith turned back, “I—no. No, everything’s okay.” 

Lance pulled him in, holding him by the waist as Keith’s arms lay relaxed on Lance’s shoulder. “You can talk to me, you know,” Lance said, “I know I can be…dramatic at times, but—“

“It’s nothing you did, Lance,” Keith said, “You’re…you’re fine.”

Lance frowned, but he let the moment go. “Alright, if you’re sure…”

“Lets…lets just keep dancing.” Keith turned away from him. Lance was still concerned, but if Keith wanted him to let it go, he would. 

The world went silent. Lance hardly even realized he was pulling Keith towards himself until his nose was practically in Keith’s hair. It felt…warm…and quiet. It was the kind of romantic moment he had been trying to create for Shay and Hunk. It was the kind of clicking he had wanted with Placida. 

Slowly, Keith lifted his head, and Lance fell into his eyes, just as everything suddenly fell into place. Why Lance always wanted Keith around…why he felt so warm and happy inside whenever Keith laughed…why it felt like suddenly no one else was in the room. 

Lance liked Keith. And not the passing fancy, not the jolt of attraction from when he just saw someone pretty and wanted to ask them out. No, he…he LIKED Keith. This moment had all the charge, all the wonder of what Lance wanted. There was only one last thing to make it perfect, and that would be a kiss…

Keith was practically nose to nose with Lance. And it seemed like Keith was leaning up. Lance tilted his head so Keith could reach him easily, his eyelids feeling heavy. Was this it? Was this happening right now?

Keith nearly, so very nearly, connected, to the point there wasn’t really much doubt as to what he was trying, or about to do. Still, at the last second, he pulled away, all the way out of Lance’s arms, “No…” he whispered. “No, I…I’m sorry, I—“ Keith swallowed, Lance was blinking like he had just come out of the water for air, “Sorry,” and then Keith took off, out of the dance hall and into the night, leaving Lance to wonder what had just happened.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> real things: there is a yule ball. It is nothing like this.   
> I don't go to parties.


	16. Merc Tournament

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Pidge bullies Keith, and people go to a winter tournament

**Allura Altea**

Hey, I hope everyone’s break is going well. I got an email from Taujeer and…well, I can’t use it, so I’m passing it forward to anyone who’s in the area. “Calling all Quidditch Players! We’re hosting a Winter Cup on the 21st!. It will be a mercenary tournament, so please please please let us know if you’re coming so we can sort everyone into teams. Its gonna be lots of fun, so sign up!”

            **Keith Kogane:** Whats a Mercenary tournament?

            **Allura Prince:** Well, a mercenary team is when there’s a group of players all from different teams that are just there for a game or so, so I assume the tournament is going to mix together all the people who sign up into different teams. Are you going to sign up?

           **Keith Kogane:** I guess I will, not like there’s much else to do around here.

            **Matt Holt:** Whoa whoa whoa whoa. Whoa. Keith, you’re on campus?

            **Keith Kogane** : Uh..yeah? why?

            **Matt Holt:** Pidge messages incoming. I’m so sorry.

 

 **Pidge Gunderson** - > **Keith Kogane**

 

_ KEITHEW JEREMIAH KOGANE ARE YOU FUCKING IMPLYING THAT YOU DIDN’T TELL ME WHEN YOU GOT BACK TO SCHOOL?? _

 

A) My middle name is not Jeremiah B) I didn’t tell you because I never left

 

_a) I know its my dad’s b) you didn’t deny your name was Keithew c) What? What do you mean you never left?_

 

My name isn’t Keithew.

 

_ Keith answer my question, I know your broke ass didn’t pay the fee to stay on campus. _

 

True, but you don’t need to pay a fee if you camp out in the bathroom until the people doing checks passes through without noticing you.

 

_Keith, wth_

 

It worked, didn’t it?

 

_Why didn’t you ask to stay over? You know my parents live in the area, you could have spent Christmas with us._

 

I’m not about to intrude on your family Christmas when I had a perfectly good bathroom to camp out in.

 

_ Listen here, normally your hermit-tendancies are something I admire about you and strive to live up to, but just for once you can actually ask for help because we would love to have you _

 

It’s really fine

 

_ Bullshit. We’re coming to pick you up, and you’re staying here until campus re-opens. _

 

That’s not til past new years

_Yes. You will suffer my mother forcing us to turn off electronic devices and put together a jigsaw puzzle until midnight, and eat fondue with us._

 

No, you really don’t have to do that.

 

_Hello Keith, this is Sam Holt, we’re taking advantage of the trip back to campus for you to let Pidge have some more practice driving on their learners permit, but they wanted me to tell you that “we are coming for your emo ass whether you like it or not.” I’m not entirely certain of what that means, but it sounds right._

 

Tell them this is bullying.

 

Keith sighed. Secretly, he did really appreciate having a friend like Pidge who cared about him like that, even if it was annoying as hell.

 

Truth be told, maybe it would be a good thing considering the silence of his dorm meant he spent a lot of time…thinking. And thinking got considerably less fun ever since the Yule Ball.

 

He replayed the scene over and over in his head, yielding little conclusions on the matter. He regretted it. Just…everything. He regretted helping Lance try to set up Hunk and Shay, he regretted asking Lance to dance, he regretting leaning in to kiss him, he regretted leaving he just…everything. Trying to figure out what he wish he had done…what he should have done…what he wanted to do…it all just made his brain hurt.

 

Distracting himself before he got dragged into another spiral, he checked facebook, seeing more notifications on Allura’s post.

 

            **Matt Holt:** Also, Pidge and I can come

            **Hunk Garrett:** Ahhh, this looks fun, but I’m gonna be out until the week after.

            **Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane:** ^same

            **Shay Balmera:** ^^same

            **Lance McAwesome:** I’ll be there. I have my car and could also take people, if you all want

            **Matt Holt:** That would be great, Lance! We could definitely use a ride.

            **Lance McAwesome:** Coolio Beanie Babies. We’ll discuss deets later

 

Oh god, Keith thought. Lance was coming. Keith had been avoiding him as best as he could, and was kinda expecting not to have to face him until the semester started, given he was staying with family.

 

Because he was a glutton for punishment, Keith opened the last few texts he had from Lance

 

_Hey, you wanna come over for a movie?_

 

Sorry, studying for finals

 

_Ah…gotcha._

 

_Studies are important_

 

Indeed they are

 

_Well, let me know if you wanna take a break or something._

 

Sure thing

 

Keith did not talk to him about taking a break. He let Lance leave campus without seeing him.

 

Ugh, Keith hated conflict. He knew they needed to talk things out, but he wasn’t even really sure what he’d say. ‘sorry I kinda almost tried to kiss you and then ran off, I don’t really know why I did that.’ He knew somehow this would inevitably end up in a conversation of ‘how does he feel about Lance’ and…he had no clue. He didn’t know WHAT he wanted from Lance, and if that was frustrating for Keith, he knew it’d frustrate Lance.

 

There came a frantic knock on his door. “Hey loser,” Pidge’s voice came through, “Come on, we’re in a no-parking zone.”

 

Keith let them in, let them berate him for not packing, and then let them help pick out the possessions he would need for the few days he would be staying at the Holt-Gundersons.

 

The drive back was silent as Pidge focused on learning how to drive with intent focus. It was weird seeing Pidge not be perfect at something technology-related. Then again, they were more of a soft-ware person, or so they said.

 

Keith always felt awkward in other people’s houses. Mr. Holt and Mrs. Gunderson seemed to sense this, and so allowed Keith to hole up in Pidge’s room, where they’d set up a spare mattress for him. (Apparently there had been some argument as to whether they should make him stay in Matt’s room instead. Keith consistently wondered why people thought he and Pidge were dating…)

 

“So,” Pidge said in their tone of attempting to approach a wild cat, “Have you talked to Lance?”

 

“What, you mean since that stunt you pulled with putting on a slow dance for us?” Keith said. Pidge grinned shamelessly, “You know, Hunk had JUST finished chastising US for trying to set people up.”

 

“Hunk and Shay don’t well with the spotlight on them.” Pidge said, splitting their focus between Keith and their laptop, “Lance, on the other hand, lives in the spotlight. And you might not like it, but you can live with it if Lance is there too.”

 

Keith raised an eyebrow at them, “Are you psychoanalyzing me, Gunderson?”

 

Pidge shrugged, “Hunk and I have been discussing it. Apparently Lance has been whining to him.”

 

Keith’s heart sank. As fucked up as it was, he didn’t actually want to cause Lance any distress…He knew he had, but it was hard hearing the evidence.

 

“You could talk to him,” Pidge suggested, “You know, like adults.”

 

“What do you know about being an adult?” Keith asked.

 

Pidge shrugged, “More than you, apparently.”

 

Keith sighed, “He was on a date, not even 10 minutes earlier. What kind of fucked up dude tries to kiss a guy who was on a date with a different person 10 minutes beforehand?”

 

“You, apparently,” Pidge said, typing away, “And besides, isn’t it funny that despite being on a date with someone else, he spent more time with you?”

 

“Pidge, don’t do this to me,” Keith said, “Don’t…you make it sound obvious and easy—“

 

“It is.”

 

“It’s not!” Keith said, “Just…let me handle it.”

 

Pidge sighed, “Alright, alright.” Pidge continued on their laptop, “Wanna watch a documentary on Nessie?”

 

Keith smirked, “Sure,” And he jumped up on the bed beside Pidge.

 

He took out his phone and looked at his messages again while they watched the documentary. Lance had reached out to him, not even confronting him, and he’d turned him down. Keith sighed. He knew the ball was in his court when he saw it.

 

Are you taking a J-Term class?

 

Keith put his phone away, trying to re-focus on the movie. It was 10 minutes later before his phone buzzed and he jumped, checking the message.

 

_Teaching one actually. Or helping to. Just a short class on telescopes, mostly for non-majors._

 

Oh wow, that sounds neat.

 

Keith clutched his head. He could not believe he just said neat.

 

_Yeah! There’s room in the class if you wanna sign up._

 

I might just do that.

 

Wait, is this going to involve like, using the telescopes at night?

 

_Uhh….yeah?_

Isn’t it going to be too cold.

 

_Bundle up, baby._

 

Keith blushed. Did Lance really just call him ‘baby?’ was he…flirting? Keith couldn’t tell.

 

I hate the cold. I prefer the heat.

 

_But with cold all you have to do is put on more clothes. Heat there’s a limit to how much you can take off before cops get involved ;)_

 

The trick is to suffer and sweat through all black clothing.

 

And no matter how much I put on, nothing is going to make me not itchy and feeling gross.

 

_To each their own._

 

Keith smirked to himself. This felt…normal. He continued chatting with Lance, both of them artfully avoiding the topic of the Yule Ball. It may not be the…mature thing to do, but it was easy and comfortable, and Keith was just glad to be talking with Lance again.

 

Pidge noticed his smile and rolled his eyes.

 

 

“Get in, losers, we’re going to play Quidditch!” Lance said.

 

Keith rolled his eyes, hoping into the front seat while Matt and Pidge took the back. “Are you referencing something?”

 

Matt was the one to gasp. “Keith! Are you telling me you are unfamiliar with the iconic film ‘Mean Girls’?”

 

Keith shrugged, “I suppose so. I mean, I’ve heard of it. What’s the big deal?”

 

“We can deal with Keith’s blatant hole in education later,” Pidge said, “In the mean time: What teams are you all on? Matt and I are both on team forest.” Pidge grimaced at the assignment, “The one place I hate. Nature.”

 

“Oh, come on,” Keith said, “It’s nice.” Pidge grunted, “I’m in desert.”

 

“Nice,” Lance said, “Ocean.”

 

Keith snorted, “Suits you.”

 

“So I got someone who may have owed me a favor on the Taujeer team. Or, well, they owe Hunk a favor, and Hunk owes me a favor.”

 

“Oh really?” Matt said, disbelieving.

 

Lance sighed, “Alright, Hunk is just a really really nice friend who’s super generous ever since he got a girrrlfriiieeend.”

 

Keith smirked, “That’s less funny now that she actually IS his girlfriend.”

 

“Lies, lies and slander,” Lance said.

 

They both giggled. Their eyes meeting for a brief second. Things were still…awkward. They hadn’t had the chance to actually talk about anything…or, well, they were both avoiding the topic. But every once in a while, Keith would look over and want to kiss Lance…and it kinda looked like Lance wanted to kiss him back.

 

But that was a hard nope at the moment. Lance was driving. It still used up a lot of Keith’s impulse control not to lean over every time they shared those looks.

 

They reached Taujeer campus with little incident, and went to the reg table to sign in and get their shirts.

 

Keith grimaced at his ‘Desert’ shirt, that had a cactus on it. Sighing, he slipped it over his sweatshirt, not willing to take it over.

 

“A bit stereotypical, isn’t it?”

 

Keith looked over to see Thace standing in a desert shirt as well. “Hey!” Keith said, “How’s it goin?”

 

“Alright,” he said, shrugging, “I quit the Galra quidditch team. I’m just here ‘cause it’s a merc thing.”

 

Keith smirked, “Nice, not bad.”

 

“They’re super pissed about the Arus tournament, by the way,” Thace said, “They’ve said they don’t forfeit games and you guys ‘cheated’ or something.

 

Keith rolled his eyes, “They would. Well, I’ll let Allura handle that.”

 

Thace nodded, “Good plan,” They made their way over to the rest of the desert team to figure out positions and strategy, “When we go on lunch break, my friend came with me, I want you to meet him.”

 

“Oh,” Keith said, “Sure, sounds good.”

 

It was a lot different playing on a mercenary team than it was with Altea. He and his teammates had an established rhythm, he knew where Lance or Pidge or Hunk would be at any given time, or he knew where they were trying to go. Here, Keith had to try and figure out his teammates as they went, and Keith was not exactly a social person.

 

Their first game was against Team Forest, and he took perverse pleasure in beating Matt and Pidge repeatedly. They shook their fists at him, swearing vengeance. It turned out he and Thace worked well, and he stuck to Thace’s side considering he was the only person Keith kinda knew.

 

They also watched a few games. Keith made sure to cheer on team Forest or team Ocean whenever they were up, waving at his friends. Lance was in the zone today. And every time Keith waved to him, Lance waved back, and gave him a wink.

 

Keith blushed, watching him. This felt more like flirting to him, more obviously flirting. Especially, as Keith noted with glee, he hadn’t seen Lance flirt with one girl (or boy) the entire tournament. It was possible Keith just missed those moments…but he didn’t think so.

 

He needed to be careful, think this through instead of following his usual impulses that would only get him in trouble.

 

Lunch was called, and they started passing out styrofoam cups of hot cocoa. Lance waved Keith over, and Keith held up a finger, telling him to wait. Thace was also calling him over, he’d handle whatever this was first. “Hey, Keith,” Thace said, beckoning to him, “This is my friend Ulaz.”

 

Seriously, what was up with these people’s names, Keith thought as he shook the man with the mohawk’s name. “Are you on the Galra team?”

 

“Not the Quidditch team, if that’s what you’re asking,” Ulaz said, “I do go to Galra, though. When I found out Thace knew you, I asked if he could introduce us.”

 

Keith screwed up his face, “Me?” He said, “Why do you want to meet me?”

 

Ulaz smiled at him, “What do you know about the Blade of Marmora?”

 

 

After having a long conversation, Keith came back to eat lunch with Lance, Pidge, and Matt, his head full of things to think on. “What was that all about?” Lance asked.

 

“Hmm?” Keith said, “Oh, that was Ulaz he goes to Galra U with Thace.”

 

“Okay…” Lance said, trying to lead him into more details, “What did he want.”

 

Keith chewed on his lip. “He…wanted me to transfer to Galra.”

 

Lance dropped his sandwich into his lap. “He WHAT?”

 

Keith looked at his shocked expression for a moment, but he was still processing it himself, “I mean, its all super unofficial right now,” Keith said, “But…apparently Galra has this like…nationally ranked fencing team, and they want to recruit me.” Keith thought about all Ulaz had said, “There’s a ton of details to still go over, but there’s a possibility they could even transfer my scholarship and all of my credits so far.” Keith shrugged, “Ulaz gave me their coach’s email, I’m supposed to get into contact with him, and see where we go from there.”

 

Lance gaped and even Matt and Pidge gaped a bit. “You can’t!” Lance said, “You can’t go to Galra, they’re the enemy!”

 

Keith frowned at him, “Their Quidditch team, maybe, but Ulaz and Thace are nice. I mean, I’d have to see more of them, but that’s part of the process.”

 

“The SCHOOL is the enemy!” Lance said, frowning, “And besides you can’t—you can’t just transfer schools because of FENCING. Altea clearly has the superior classes, every magazine you can find can back that up.”

 

“So?” Keith said, “I don’t care that much about classes. I’m still undecided and I don’t know what I’d do with a major even if I had one.”

 

“So what, you’re just going to become a professional fencer?”

 

“Maybe I will!” Their voices were raising enough to start attracting attention from those around them. “Why do you care so much?”

 

“Uh, because Galra’s TERRIBLE!” There was a gasp, “Yeah, Varkon, I said it, live with that.” Lance turned back to Keith, “And if you transfer—“

 

“What?” Keith said, fire building beneath his skin, “I’ll be terrible? So what, if I transferred somewhere else you wouldn’t have a problem with it?”

 

“I—“ Lance said, “Of course I wouldn’t!” Keith rolled his eyes. “I wouldn’t! But…you can’t transfer there.”

 

“And you can’t tell me what to do.” Keith said, definitively.

 

Lance scrambled for more arguments, turning to Pidge and Matt, “Back me up, guys.”

 

Pidge swallowed. They turned to Keith, “We’d miss you a whole lot and you’d have to come visit a whole lot…but if its what you want…”

 

Lance stood up, “Traitors, all of you,” He said, before storming off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> there was something like this in the league I was in. I did not go, however, and have no idea on the accuracy of this chapter.


	17. Dueling Champions

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance figures out a way to stop fighting with Keith....by fighting with Keith

It was so much worse than back when Lance was just mad at him for forgetting his existence.

 

Keith and Lance refused to speak to each other, or even acknowledge each other once spring semester started again.

 

There were several practices Keith didn’t show up to, and if it hadn’t been for Pidge and Shiro’s puppy dog eyes, he would have quit completely. Rolo was back from his semester abroad, and Nyma’s schedule got switched back to being free during practice times, so they re-joined the team, allowing Keith more lenience in whether he showed up or not.

 

And Lance…Lance was miserable. Most days he locked himself in his room whenever he wasn’t at class, practice, or work. “Why don’t you talk to him?” Hunk said, finding him facedown on his mattress one day.

 

“I can’t,” Lance said, his voice muffled by pillow.

 

“Lance, this isn’t sustainable.” Hunk said, “Have you been taking your meds?”

 

Lance groaned, “Too much energy.”

 

Hunk sighed, the mother hen that he was, and brought over a glass of water, setting it on his bedside beside the bottle of depression medication, “Take it.”

 

Lance groaned and slowly pulled himself into a sitting position. With a grimace, he swallowed the pills. “Bleh.”

 

Hunk sat beside him. “I’m worried about you.”

 

Lance sighed, “Its his fault,” He said, “He—he started this! He nearly kissed me, and then pulled back, NEVER explaining himself. And now he just…he wants to leave the school?”

 

“Okay, maybe he started things,” Hunk said, “But you haven’t exactly been helping things.”

 

Lance swallowed, “What if…” He started, not wanting to say the words allowed, “What if he wants to transfer to get away from me.”

 

“Oh, Lance,” Hunk said putting his arm around him, “That’s not why he’s thinking of transferring.”

 

“What if it is now, though? What if I pushed him into transferring away?”

 

“Lance,” Hunk said, rubbing his arm, “I know this may come as a shock, but the world doesn’t revolve around you.”

 

“Blasphemy,” Lance joked through his tears.

 

Hunk smirked, taking this as a sign Lance was feeling better. He was not, but he did want Hunk to think that. “I don’t pretend to know how Keith thinks, but I doubt that’s the case. I know things are messy and confusing right now, but…I think its hurting both of you so much BECAUSE you mean so much to each other.”

 

Lance flinched, “I really like him,” Lance muttered, “I…I want him to stay with me…”

 

“Tell him that.”

 

Lance shook his head, “Its selfish. I know its selfish. And its mean to ask of him.”

 

“Yeah, it is,” Hunk said, “But he’ll understand the desire, at least, as long as you apologize for being a giant jerk.” Lance moaned, indicating his lack of desire to do that. “I bet he’d appreciate someone being there to support him. I bet this is all really confusing for him.”

 

Lance slumped back on his mattress again. “Mmph.” Was all he said.

 

Hunk sighed, “I tried.” He got up, “I have a date with Shay, call if you need anything.”

 

“Have fun,” Lance muttered.

 

Once Hunk was gone, Lance pulled up his laptop, looking for a distraction. He found a notification from Matt.

 

_I got the okay from the Student Finance office, we can start figuring out everything for our fundraiser now. You wanna make the post, or shall I?_

 

_I can do it._

 

Lance sighed and pulled up the Altea Quidditch facebook group.

 

 **Lance McAwesome**  

Hey everyone, your friendly neighborhood social chair here, bringing you the Altea Quidditch Fundraiser you’ve all been waiting for! We’ll be selling….Howlers! (pictured below) Basically what happens is we have a few tables in the campus center for the next few weeks, and people will come pay us, leaving us with a message for a friend or loved one, and on Valentine’s day weekend, we’ll go around shouting the messages at their friends. I’ve included a poll below for people to sign up for shifts to sell Howlers, so please look at your availability now, we need 2 people per shift!

 

Lance re-read the message after he had posted it. Well, that was one thing done.

 

A minute later facebook let him know someone had commented. He looked at it.

 

 **Keith Kogane:** Oh, that reminds me.

 

Reminds him? Reminds him of what? A minute later, Keith had made his own post.

 

 **Keith Kogane**  

The Fencing Team is having out own fundraiser on ****, called ‘dueling for funds.’ Basically you show up, and you can pay a champion to face a friend’s champion and have them fight over disputes, like, who’s turn it is to do the dishes or whatever. Anyway, I’ll be one of the champions and you all should come!

 

 **Lance McAwesome:** Seriously? You’re doing this RIGHT after we posted our fundraiser? Can’t you even be loyal to your own team while you’re here?

 **Takashi “Shiro” Shirogane:** Knock it off, Lance. It sounds like fun.

 **Keith Kogane:** Its just advertising? I told you that your post reminded me, we’re supposed to tell everyone about it, that’s how fundraising works. I’m posting about the Quidditch fundraiser on the Fencing Facebook.

 **Lance McAwesome:** Well, it’s still rude, the focus was supposed to be on OUR fundraiser right now.

 **Keith Kogane:** You are so goddamn selfish.

 **Lance McAwesome:** If you have time to promote your damn fencing team, why don’t you have time to fill out the poll for OUR fundraiser yet, huh?

 **Keith Kogane** : I will! Im waiting for YOU to fill it out so I can make sure to get a shift without you on it!

 **Allura Prince:** BOTH OF YOU KNOCK IT OFF. Take it to private if you have something to say, this is a public page. As it stands, Keith, of course we’ll be there to support you. Lance, I just filled out your poll. Now leave off, both of you.

 

Lance closed his computer. So much for making himself feel better. He knew what he had said had been unfair and mean. He just…he wanted to win a fight. He wanted Keith to come apologize before he did.

 

He sulked into his pillow. Keith was probably waiting for him to apologize first too. That was, if he didn’t completely hate him at this point. If only they could like…sync up their apologies or something, or…

 

Lance sat up. He had an idea.

 

 

Lance had not been in the school’s large gymnasium much. His only sport was Quidditch, and they used a field for that. It was a little weird walking in there, alone. He saw Shiro, Allura, and Matt all together, Pidge and Hunk not far from them. He didn’t see Keith, at first, until he noticed the two fencers in front of Pidge and Hunk. Even with the facemask and full-body coverings, he’d recognize that mullet anywhere.

 

He came up to stand by Pidge and Hunk, who looked surprised he was there, but didn’t comment on it. “Who’s winning?” he asked.

 

Pidge gave him the side-eye. Lance hadn’t seen much of Pidge as of late. Hunk joked that Lance got Hunk and Keith got Pidge in the ‘divorce,’ though Lance also knew perfectly well Hunk was trying to divide his time equally. Pidge was more petty than that, and Lance couldn’t blame them. “Keith is,” Pidge said, “He’s my champion.”

 

There came the sound of a beep, and Keith backed up frustrated, lightly massaging his stomach where the point had hit him. It was impossible to tell with the face mask, but he could have sworn Keith made eye contact with him.

 

Pidge caught on and started pushing Lance backwards. “You’re distracting my champion. Go away. Shoo.”

 

Lance backed away to the wall watching the match progress. Keith was good. Lance knew ‘cause he was winning, and his opponent seemed dumbfounded by how fast he moved. It was hypnotizing, watching him change direction, practically playing with his opponent, and then moving in for the kill when they least expected.

 

Lance gave just the smallest of smiles when he saw Keith win, and Pidge cheered, “Woo! Take that, Hunk!”

 

“Fine,” Hunk said, “We’ll use your plans for the robot, but I’m telling you, it’s not going to be as sturdy as we need.”

 

Keith took off his helmet and shook his opponent’s hand, his face red and sweaty from exertion, mullet sticking to his face and flying in all directions. His eyes quickly fell on Lance, and Lance felt a series of complicated emotions he didn’t want to think about too hard. The only thought that made any sense was ‘Damn, it should be illegal for him to still look good like that.’

 

Keith unhooked himself from the electric equipment and marched up to Lance, mask under his arm. “What?” He asked. Curt, and to the point, just like him.

 

Lance, meanwhile, floundered for a moment before finding words. “I’m here to hire a champion,” He said.

 

Keith frowned at him, “Which champion?”

 

“You.”

 

Keith raised an eyebrow at him. “Who are you challenging?”

 

“You.” Lance repeated.

 

Keith shook his head, “You can’t do that. You can’t hire me to fight against myself.”

 

“Well, then, hire your own champion,” Lance said, “You’re the only one here I know and…and you’re clearly good.”

 

Keith’s frown changed just slightly, no longer angry, just…trying to figure out Lance. “What’s the challenge over?”

 

“Whoever wins has to be the first to apologize,” Lance said. He acknowledged this meant he knew he needed to apologize, but whatever. “I trust you won’t throw the match just to make me lose?”

 

Keith froze just a moment longer, a moment that felt like torture to Lance. Finally, he said, “Let me get my wallet.”

 

Keith hired Becky, “Captain of the team and really good,” Keith said.

 

Lance shrugged, “She wasn’t recruited to a nationally ranked team, though,” Lance said, and it was hard to tell if Keith’s face got redder at that, but he put his mask on before Lance could figure it out.

 

Keith and Becky saluted before quickly getting into position. Keith took a hesitant step forward. Becky mimicked him. Becky advanced, and Keith backed up. As Becky marched forward, Keith lunged and got the first point.

 

They backed up again, and this point, they both launched forward, quickly engaging in a quick bout of parrys and thrusts, moving back and forth across the strip. Lance couldn’t keep track of the action, but when the machine beeped, it read Becky had gotten the point.

 

Lance couldn’t get his eyes off Keith’s foil, which he moved in quick movements. It was like the end of his arm. Lance had seen Keith play quidditch and run for track, and he thought that was perfect, but this…this was an art form. Keith was in his element, laser focused on the match before him. Keith was good at…nearly everything from what Lance understood, but he seemed to be genuinely enjoying this.

 

As Lance had predicted, Keith eventually won the match. He took off his helmet and shook Becky’s hand, and didn’t look at Lance until he had unhooked himself fully.

 

He made his way over to Lance. It was odd to feel smug about Keith winning, but considering he won for Lance, it felt good. Keith took a deep sigh. “I’m…I’m sorry.” He said, like his teeth were being pulled “Sorry for…” his voice trailed off in the sounds of fencing battles going off all around them.

 

“What was that?” Lance asked.

 

“I’m sorry for almost kissing you and then leaving,” Keith said, his face beet red, to the point Lance was kinda worried for his health. “I…there were a lot of emotions running high, and I acted on impulse, and I got scared…I got scared you would hate me.”

 

Lance blinked solemnly. “I wouldn’t have hated you,” Lance said. He swallowed, “I…I don’t think I could.”

 

Keith looked up into his eyes. It was like they were connected at the dance again, but…but that was a bit much for this conversation. Lance would settle for getting things into a good place between them again. “Don’t you have an apology for me, now?” Keith asked.

 

“Hold on,” Lance said, “I’m basking in the glory of being the one in the right.” Keith flicked Lance’s shin with his foil. “Ow!” Lance protested, hopping on one leg to hold the pain, “That hurt!”

 

“Oh, walk it off,” Keith said.

 

Lance took a deep sigh, “I’m sorry, alright?” He swallowed, “I’m sorry for being a jerk and yelling at you. I…” he thought back to his conversation with Hunk, “I didn’t want you to leave.”

 

Keith smiled a little bit. “I don’t…I don’t know what I’m going to do yet,” he said, “But, I’ll be nearby no matter what. Galra’s not that far away.”

 

“I know,” Lance said, “But it won’t be the same. I got kinda used to doing everything together. Then Yule happened and we weren’t doing things together anymore, and THEN just when I thought it was all good again, you were talking about leaving for good and…” he sighed, “I guess I got scared too. But, if it’s really what you want, I’ll support you.”

 

Keith smiled at him, and Lance wondered why he hadn’t realized before how just Keith’s smile could make him feel warm all over. “Thanks, Lance.” He took a deep breath, “Are we…are we good now?”

 

Lance nodded, “'Course we are, bring it in, man.” He wrapped his arms around Keith.

 

“Augh,” Keith groaned, “Lance, I’m all sweaty.”

 

“Mm, but if you leave then I need to get in all my hugs in while I can.”

 

“Lance, even if I leave it won’t be until next semester! There’s plenty of time as long as I don’t die of heat stroke.”

 

Lance chuckled and released him, “Thought you liked the heat.”

 

Keith smiled at him, small and sweet. Lance pushed his hair back behind his ear. There was that feeling again, the desire to kiss him. He held Keith’s cheek, waiting for him to back out if he wanted. He didn’t, just stayed still. Lance leaned in…

 

“Kogane!” They jumped apart. The fencing coach beckoned him for another match.

 

“Duty calls,” Keith said, turning to go.

 

Lance watched him, muttering to himself, “I hate when you leave, but I love watching you go.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The Howlers were a real fundraiser.   
> Dueling Champions was not a fundraiser at my school, it existed at a school I applied for but didn't go to, and I always thought it was a neat idea. Obviously I was not there so I made up what it was like. I did do some fencing, though, so, thats something. 
> 
> Probably only a couple chapters left? I'm hoping to write the next one tonight, but life may get in the way


	18. Howlers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lance has a plan.

“You’re kidding me,” Pidge said at the table for brunch, “After ALL of that, you two aren’t even dating yet?”

Lance sighed and let his head fall on the table, “Look, its…complicated.”

“Doesn’t have to be,” Hunk said, chewing on his waffle. Shay leaned against his arm, still sleepy despite it being 11 in the morning. 

“You two don’t get to talk,” Lance accused them, flicking Hunk between the eyes. “Keith and I aren’t the only ones who danced around each other.” 

“Still,” Hunk said, “I’ve seen you ask out girls at the drop of a hat. Literally, all you could see of her was her hat…”

“Okay, first off, that was one time,” Lance said, “And it was a really awesome hat. Second, Keith isn’t just a one in twenty.”

“One in what?” Pidge asks.

Lance raises his eyebrow at him. “One in twenty. You ask out every pretty person you encounter, you have about a 1 in 20 chance of them saying yes.”

Pidge’s eyes went wide as they looked off into middle distance, “Your life suddenly makes sense to me…”

“So, what I’m saying is,” Lance continues, “Keith is…different. The asking itself has to be special, because he is.”

“Aww,” Shay yawned, revealing herself to indeed be awake, “That’s really sweet, Lance.”

Lance smiles and winks at her, promptly ruining the moment. Then he screwed up his face, “What if he doesn’t really like me?”

Pidge, Hunk, and Shay gave a collective sigh and collapsed on the table. “What?” Lance asked. 

“Lance, you admitted he nearly kissed you at the Yule ball,” Hunk said. 

“Yeah, but that could have been just like…a moment.” Lance said, “He told me, emotions were running high and it was just a…a…”

“Moment?” Shay asked. Lance nodded, not even noticing the crease in his eyebrows. 

“For the love of—“ Pidge took out their notebook and wrote furiously before pushing it in front of Lance’s face with the message ‘He likes you.’

Lance felt his heart jump. “But…what if he doesn’t?”

“Well, if you don’t believe us,” Hunk said, “You could always ask him.”

“Ask who?”

Lance yelped and turned to see Keith standing behind them and sitting down beside Lance. His eyebrow quirked, and Lance could feel himself flush. “Just uh…” He said, “asking Professor Slav about the homework,” Lance said, coming up with the lie quickly.

“Really?” Keith said, “You want me to go over it with you?”

Lance snorted, “How kind of you to grace me with your vast intelligence, oh Keith the…intelligent…”

Keith rolled his eyes but had a hint of a smile as he started eating his food. “I was JUST offering…”

“You’re too kind,” Lance said, not even noticing himself smiling. 

“You see, I know you THINK you’re insulting me,” Keith said, “But everything you say is a compliment.”

“Yeah, well you…” He swallowed, “You are…” His mind was going blank.

“Yeah?” Keith smirked at him, waiting patiently for a comeback.

“Oh, shut up,” Lance tossed a grape at him, but Keith dodged, and it fell harmlessly on the table. 

“Hey,” Keith said, picking up the grape from the table and tossing it back. Lance tried to catch it with his mouth, but it bounced off his nose instead. “Ha. Missed.”

“I missed on purpose.” Lance said, “I decided I had eaten my fill of grapes mid-throw,”

“Ah, I SEE,” Keith said, chuckling at him. 

“You, meanwhile,” Lance said, “Have absolutely no fruits or vegetables on your plate.”

Keith looked down at his brunch of sausage and eggs. “There’s tomatoes in the ketchup on the eggs,” he said, like that justified things. 

Lance scoffed. “That doesn’t—“ he turned to the other three who were watching their exchange like a live television program, “did you hear what he—I can’t believe—“ Lance cut himself off with a groan, picking up another grape. “Eat the grape.”

“No.”

Lance jammed the grape forward, trying to push it into Keith’s mouth, “Eat. The. Grape.”

“Fruits taste weird in the mornings,” Keith protested, trying to push Lance back.

“You need them! Full of nature’s vitamins!” 

“I’m fruity enough!” Keith said, turning his head away from the good like a disobedient child. 

Behind them, Shay leaned over to Pidge and said softly, “Hunk and I weren’t THAT bad, were we?”

Pidge sighed, watching her two friends pseudo-wrestle, Lance practically in Keith’s lap, “No one’s this bad.”

Hunk was just about to suggest trying to break them up, when Matt and Shiro walked in to sit by them, both looking harrowed. “Guys, guys, knock it off,” Shiro said, “We have code Allura.”

Lance immediately stopped wrestling and sat up, he and Hunk looking shocked. “What’s code Allura?” Pidge asked. 

“Its when Allura’s really pissed,” Lance said, “What happened?”

Behind them, Allura slammed her books on the table, making them all jump. “FUCK the Galra team.” 

“Not my idea of a fun time, but to each their own,” Lance said.

Shiro and Matt glared at him to not provoke Allura. “What happened?” Pidge asked. 

Allura sat down, scowling, “I’ve just been trading increasingly passive aggressive emails with their team captain, Zach Kahn. Apparently he’s still pissed about the winter tournament at Arus. Said it wasn’t fair that his team was considered ‘forfeit’ considering we played the finale without them, never mind that that was what they TOLD us to do, technically.”

She heaved as sigh as Matt tried to shovel scrambled eggs to her. “What do they even want from you?” Shay asked.

Allura sighed, “They want a re-match. But of course our fields are covered in snow, which I pointed out, so we have to go to THEM and we’ve been trying to figure out times. I think we’ve got it down to the 18th for a date, but who knows with these people.” She let her head collapse on the table. 

“Aw, that’s right after Valentine’s day…” Lance said, “Speaking of which, Hunk, we got some Howlers to sell in the Campus center.” 

Hunk looked at his watch, “Oh, shoot,” He said, getting up to go. He gave Shay a kiss on the head as he got up. 

“Eat your greens, Keith,” Lance said, flicking his mullet as he got up himself. 

Keith held his hair to his neck defensively, “They’re red grapes, asshole.” 

Lance chuckled and headed out, leaving Keith behind, grinning into his eggs. 

He didn’t notice at first everyone’s looks at him. When he finally realized the silence around the table was slightly odd, he looked up. “What?”

“Dude you’ve got it bad,” Pidge said.

Keith felt himself shrink as he realized how obvious he was being, “I—I don’t know what you mean.”

“Oh please,” Allura said, “would you just ask him out and spare the rest of us?”

Keith blushed and turned away, mentally thinking of the nearest exit he could run to. “Uhh…”

“Oh, leave him alone,” Shiro said, granting mercy. Keith threw him a grateful smile, “But you really should ask him out.”

Keith muttered something. 

“What was that?” 

“What if he doesn’t like me?” Keith said just loud enough for them to hear. 

The others all groaned, “You’re killing me,” Pidge said.

“I saw you guys at the fencing match,” Allura said, “He all but made out with you right there.” 

“But what if that was just a thing like…in the moment?”

That was when Pidge started lightly slamming their head against the table. “Kill. Ing. Me.”

 

“Today’s the day, Hunk!” Lance said, shaking nervously that morning. 

“Wha?” Hunk said, confused, as he woke up, “What day is it?”

“Valentines day!” Lance said. 

“Wha?” Hunk looked up at his phone, “It’s the 11th.”

Lance rolled his eyes. “It’s Valentine’s day weekend, Hunk,” Lance said, “And more importantly…It’s the day we’re handing out Howlers.”

That got Hunk to wake up, “Ahhh…and there’s one howler you’re especially looking forward to handing out, huh?”

Lance nodded, vibrating on his bed. 

It had been Hunk’s idea, really. After Lance had been stewing for so long about how to ask out Keith, Hunk suggested the howlers they passed out would work. Hunk and Lance were responsible for passing them out on the first day, so they could do that easily enough. 

That is, if Lance could get over his nerves. 

It was timed perfectly. Keith had fencing practice right now that was coming to an end. He questioned himself every couple of seconds, asking himself if this was too big, or if Keith would like this. But every time he brought up his concern, Hunk just gave him a reassuring smile and said, “Trust me.”

Lance was not in the business of doubting Hunk. 

So, they walked into the gym and Lance instantly spotted Keith helping to put the fencing equipment away. He steeled himself and took out the howler. 

“Gryffindor’s are Red,” He shouted, his voice echoing in the gym. He saw Keith jerk to look over at him, but kept his eyes glued to the page, “Ravenclaw’s are blue. Sugar Quills are sweet, and so are you. Would you be my valentine?”

The gym goes silent. Lance risks looking up at Keith, holding out the heart shaped howler, sure his face is an unhealthy shade of red. 

Keith, however, isn’t looking at him, but looking at Hunk, “I…” Keith mutters, “I don’t understand…did you..?”

That’s when Hunk, grinning like a Cheshire cat, takes out another Howler from his coat pocket and turns to Lance. “His eyes are as blue as the windswept sea, his hair is as brown as a bear. I wish he were mine, he’s simply divine, I think that we’d make quite a pair.”

Hunk finished off the poem and it was Lance’s turn to be confused. It sounded like a bastardized version of Ginny’s valentine’s day confession to Harry, but…

Hunk handed the howler over to Lance. Lance read it over multiple times before he could be sure he wasn’t hallucinating. He wasn’t looking at the poem itself, rather the other side that read ‘To: Lance McClain, From: Keith Kogane.’

He looked up at Keith who was blushing red himself, and then turned to Hunk, who was still grinning. The rest of the fencing team was watching fascinated, only adding to Lance’s embarrassment. Hunk shrugged, “Keith came to buy the howler from me, and I knew you were still struggling with a way to ask him, so I…subtly suggested you make a howler too.” 

Lance looked over at Keith, many thoughts flying through his brain, but the one that was sticking was ‘he bought me a howler? He wanted to ask me out too?’

He swallowed, though, composing himself and turning to Hunk, “I thought you didn’t like the romcom situations.”

“I don’t,” Hunk said, “But you love them, don’t deny it. Keith knew you did, that’s why he got you this.”

Keith blushed even redder. Everyone was staring at the two of them expectantly. 

Lance might love this sort of attention…but Keith didn’t and they needed to talk about things, now. He took Keith’s wrist and pulled him out of the gym and away from prying eyes. 

They made it to an abandoned hallway. “So…” Lance said, “You…”

“Pidge wrote the poem,” Keith said, in a staring contest with his feet, “I mean, it was my idea, ‘cause like…I thought you’d like the reference, but…”

“But is it really how you feel?” Lance asked, wanting to be sure. 

Keith nodded, still looking at the ground.

“So…will you answer my question?” 

Keith finally looked up, “Will you be my Valentine?”

Keith snorted. “Single minded, aren’t you?” Keith said. Lance shrugged, fake innocently, “I dunno, what does that entail?”

Lance chuckled as well. It was just the flirting they had always been doing, except now they knew it was flirting. “Hmm…I guess, holding my hand.”

“Mmhmm…” Keith said, holding out his hand for Lance to hold, which Lance did, gratefully. “What else?”

“Well…you’d have to go out for pizza with me. You know, for a date that won’t absolutely punch me in the wallet.”

“Ooh, cheaping out on me already?” Keith said, “I dunno…” Lance hit him with the Howler. Offended, Keith hit him back with his own howler, and they had a small fight with them. “Tell you what, “I’ll go with you on your pizza date, if you make me one of your soy hot chocolate things afterwards.”

“Deal.” Lance said, drunk on adrenaline and happiness that this was real and really happening. He pulled the hand holding Keith’s out of the hallway so they could leave for the pizza restaurant. “I can’t believe Hunk tricked me like that.”

“I know,” Keith said, “And he set us up so more successfully than you set him up.” Lance squeezed Keith’s palm as a challenge. Keith laughed it off, and it was the best sound Lance had heard. “Maybe he was the real Slytherin after all.”

“You know, he always was kinda a snoop,” Lance said, “Seriously, I get accused for sneaking around, but don’t leave him alone with your diary, is all I’m saying.”

Keith chuckled again, leaning his head on Lance’s shoulder. Lance let go of their intertwined hands to wrap an arm around Keith’s waist, and Keith wrapped an arm around Lance’s in turn. 

Neither of them could stop smiling for the rest of the day.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We really did make Howlers for Valentines day. And I did scream at people in the middle of fencing practice. Damn, I miss my self-confidence from Quidditch...
> 
> Anyway, there will be....one? Chapter left? We'll see how things go.


	19. The Sports Movie End Cliche

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Altea team make their way to Galra for the matchup of the century.

“You know…” Pidge muttered to Hunk and Shay, whom they were squished between, “I thought they’d stop when they got together.”

“Really?” Shay said, “You expected them to stop flirting when they got together?”

“No, no,” they said, “The flirting I expected, I just assumed they’d come up with alternate ways to get out this damn tension.”

“We can hear you, you know,” Lance said, still trying to slap Keith’s away from the aux cord. “Dude, its my car, I pick the songs, it is rule #3.”

“But navigator is in charge of the controls, rule #4.” Keith said, “Put your damn hands on the wheel.” 

“You’re about to get demoted as my navigator. How did you beat Hunk for front seat anyway?”

“He called in boyfriend rights,” Hunk said. That got Keith and Lance to shut up instantly. “You guys have been dating a week, are you seriously scared by the word ‘boyfriend?’”

“What?”

“No!”

“We’re not…scared…” Lance said. He risked taking his eyes off the road to connect his gaze to Keith’s. “We’re just…getting used to it.”

Keith smiled at him shyly, and Lance was captivated. “Eyes on the road, asshole,” he said affectionately.

“Ew.” Pidge said, “Go back to fighting, that was at least entertaining.”

“I think its sweet,” Shay said, “It feels good to be at the start of a great relationship.” She smiled over at Hunk.

Hunk smiled back, “Shay, we’ve been dating for two months.”

“I know,” She said, blushing nervously, “But it still FEELS new.”

Hunk’s smile grew beyond what he thought was possible, looking over Pidge’s head into her eyes. 

“Alright, that’s it,” Pidge said, trying to fish their seatbelt buckle out from where it was buried between them and Hunk, “I’m leaving the car, there’s way too much lovey-dovey stuff happening here.”

“Pidge, we’re going 65 on the highway,” Lance said.

“It’s worth it!” Pidge tried to fight their way out, but Hunk stopped them. They crossed their arms, grumpy. They glared at Keith and Lance in the front seats. “They haven’t even kissed yet.” 

Lance jerked the car as Keith turned around in anger, “Pidge!” He said, “That was told to you in confidence!”

Lance got the car back on track, “Eh, Hunk already knew, and if he did, so does Shay,” Lance said, “I just didn’t know Pidge knew.”

“I know everything.” Pidge said, grinning now that they had the power back in the conversation. 

“Well, as long as Shiro doesn’t know…” Keith said, “He’ll never let me live it down.”

“It’s not like we’re hiding anything,” Lance said, “We just…we’re waiting for the right moment.”

“Exactly,” Keith said, and the both of them nodded sagely. 

The truth was they had about 7 or 8 ‘moments’ since the Howler confession, but they were both overthinking it too much, and so the moment passed each time. 

Lance was a pro at overthinking, and was trying to figure out the most magical moment he could come up with in his head, and always found a flaw in the mood, thinking to himself, ‘I can’t always think back to my first kiss with Keith and remember pizza in my teeth!’ 

Keith was not usually prone to overthinking, much more in the ‘ask forgiveness rather than permission’ camp, but he had been pushing down any and all affection for Lance with all his might for months, and it was a hard habit to break. 

But, they had more important things to worry about. “Any word for Allura yet?” Lance asked. 

Keith checked his phone, “Nope.” Today was the day their ‘rematch’ with the Galra team was scheduled, except there had been a ‘Wintry mix’ all that morning. A ‘Wintry mix’ sounds like a delightful drink one might enjoy at an ice cream establishment of some sort, or perhaps a starbucks. In reality, it was frozen mushy hell. The mushy sleet pinged off Lance’s car, melting on the road below. Allura had been trying to get in contact with the Galra captain all morning to see if they could re-schedule the game to a time with less hellish weather, and they were currently in wait to see if they could pull off and go home. 

“Oh wait,” Pidge said, “I just got a text from Matt, apparently Allura’s on the line with Zach Kahn,” They inhaled sharply, “It does not sound pretty.” 

Lance ground, “This is going to be mudditch, isn’t it?”

Hunk sighed, “Cold, frozen mudditch.”

It stopped sleeting by the time they reached Galra campus, but of course, the ground was still muddy as hell. “You sure you wanna go here, babe?” Lance said as they got out of the car. 

“Nope,” Keith said, coming over to him. Lance frowned in confusion at him. “Did I not tell you?” He said, “I’m staying enrolled at Altea, but I’m going to Marmora’s practices once a week so I can compete with them.” 

Lance couldn’t quite process things properly. He had been desperately trying NOT to think about the possibility of Keith switching schools, but the relief that he WASN’T going thrilled him. “Um, you okay?” Keith asked.

Lance had been frozen for too long, “What? Oh, yeah, yeah, I just…that…I mean, if you’re happy, I’m happy…” He said as they made their way to the pitch. 

Keith wrapped an arm around Lance’s waist, “I’m happy.”

Lance forgot about the cold.

“Alright team, bring it in,” Allura said. They all gathered, including Rolo and Nyma, who Lance had to keep reminding himself that they were back on the team. They didn’t exactly hang out with the others as much, but that worked out for him just fine. “So,” Allura said, “This isn’t a normal tournament or a round robin or whatever. We only have one game, and then we can go home. But, I don’t want you to get discouraged by the cold or the wet or anything else. We only have one shot, so I want us to just go for it, give it our all, and hit Galra right where they live. 

“This is where they live,” Lance said, earning a friendly slap from Matt. 

“Exactly,” Allura said, “So, come on team, are you ready?”

“Yeah!” They chanted back.

Allura put her hand in the center of the circle. “I say Vol, you say Tron, ready? Vol!” 

“TRON!” The others chanted back.

“VOL!”

“TRON!” They all lifted their hands in the air and went to their starting positions. 

Galra had gotten one of their own staff members, a cooking instructor named Sal, to referee. “Galra, are you ready?”

“Ready!” They all chanted in unison.

“Altea…Excuse me, Voltron, are you ready?”

“YEAH!” They yelled back, purposefully making themselves as loud as they could. 

“Brooms up!” Sal yelled.

Allura had planned it all out. Keith was fastest, so he started as Chaser, running center and grabbing the Quaffle. Allura and Shiro, the other two chaser’s, zipped past him. 

Lance played as starting beater, as their second fastest, with Nyma as his backup. Nyma got her bludger easily. Meanwhile, Lance ended up in a mud-wrestling match with the long-haired douche canoe, Lotor. 

Lance wondered if Lotor grew claws with the way he gripped around Lance. His arm slipped so he held Lance around the neck, a clear violation, but the ref wasn’t paying any attention. 

Lance was saved when Nyma came over and beat Lotor away. Lance smiled at her and he got up just in time to see Allura slip the ball into the hoops for their first goal. Keith was retreating back to his hoops, having been beaten out, but he did his job. “Nice work,” Lance raised a hand for him to high five as he made his way back. 

Keith gave it to him gladly, hitting the hoops and re-mounting his broom. He came back to Lance just in time to see Lance idly touching where Lotor had pulled on him. “You okay?”

Lance shrugged, “Just Galra being assholes. The usual.” Keith squinted at him suspiciously, but Lance ran off. It was defense time. 

He went up against a Galra chaser who had the quaffle, who’s jersey just read ‘Warden.’ He managed to throw the quaffle to his buddy, Morvok, before Lance could beat him though. Nyma was just slightly too slow, beating him out just as the quaffle went through the hoops. 

“And so it begins,” Allura said, the score tied 10-10.

The next several passes ended in a draw, neither team getting any points. Lance was getting rather proud of his defensive skills, until he missed one and a quaffle went sailing through their hoops. 10-20.

“Lance!” Hunk called from the side, “Don’t wear yourself out, man.”

Lance nodded, coughing. He rubbed his throat again. Lotor had really squeezed something, and with the exertion it was only getting worse. He stayed in one more pass, then went to sub out with Hunk. 

Keith had subbed out 2 passes ago, and handed him his water, “You alright?” Lance nodded, chugging the water faster than necessary, “You did good, we’re holding out better than expected.”

“Could use a few more goals, though,” Lance said, as Galra scored on them yet again. Lance rubbed his throat, the water trickling down, but still making him cough more than anything out. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Keith said.

Lance waved him off, “Lotor just grabbed my neck at the start is all.”

Keith glared out to where Lotor was. He had subbed out as well, watching from the sidelines, “You should talk to the ref.”

“I’m fine,”

“That was an illegal move!” Keith said, “God, your neck is red.”

“That’s just ‘cause I’ve been rubbing it,” Lance said. Keith frowned at him, “I’m really fine, Keith. It’s a bit late to do anything to him anyway.”

“Hey Keith,” Nyma called from the field, holding a finger up to show she’d like a sub in one pass. She was the last one from the original line-up not to sub out, Shiro having already subbed and gone back in as keeper. Keith nodded at her. 

“Stay out for a while, okay?” Keith said, “Rest up.”

“My god, I’m dating my mother,” Lance complained. 

Keith rolled his eyes and kissed Lance’s cheek before he went back out to sub for Nyma. 

Lance blushed crimson, touching that spot instead of where Lotor grabbed him. 

He suddenly felt a lot better. 

Pidge and Matt worked with Rolo on the chaser team. Rolo wasn’t the fastest, but he shot the quaffle straight into Matt’s arms down at the end and the sibling duo managed to confuse the Galra enough to get a goal. The Galra had scored their own goals though.   
20-50.

“Time?” Allura called over to the ref.

Lance couldn’t hear the answer he gave her, but assumed it was nearly time to get seekers in, as she waved at Keith. 

Keith came over to the line and high-fived, Lance subbing in for him. They gave each other a nod as Lance made his way out onto the field. Lance thought back to how jealous he used to get when Keith was picked to be seeker. Now Lance was….still kinda jealous, but also proud. It was a work in progress.

Somehow, since Lance had last been in the game, they had lost their bludger control, but that only meant he could be just as annoying as he ever wanted, getting into the opposing beater’s face. 

The Galra got another goal. 20-60. 

It wasn’t long until the seekers were released, and Keith and Haggar were neck-and-neck, chasing down the snitch. The Galra team sacrificed one of their players to be snitch for the game, a player named Prorok, who very clearly did not enjoy playing as snitch. 

The beater Sendak went after them, but Lance snuck in at the last second, intercepting the bludger before it hit Keith. 

“Thanks,” Keith said.

“No prob, babe,” He said, “Gotta save the bae’s butt. That’s for me only.”

Lance just caught Keith’s eyeroll as he ran past.

Prorok was not the fastest nor most strategic snitch. Lance was focused on taking out the opposing seeker, but no sooner had he done that, he heard a whistle. Looking over, he saw Keith with the snitch in hand. He smiled at him, but the ref hadn’t blown his whistle more to indicate the end of the game. 

The players murmured, wondering what had happened. The ref called people together, including the captains of each team and the ref. He looked to Keith, who shrugged unsure. 

They backed away up to where Hunk was standing. “What’s going on?” Lance asked.

“Shiro through a quaffle in right as Keith was catching the snitch,” Hunk explained, “I think they’re trying to figure out if it happened before or after the catch.” 

Shiro and Allura were arguing with Zach Kahn. Sal the Ref seemed cowed by the both of them, unwilling to step up and try to include his own point. Prorok was in the same boat. 

Finally, Shiro and Allura came over to their gathered team and said, “so, their saying we DID score before we got the snitch,” Shiro said.

“So,” Lance said looking at the scoreboard, “with the 10 points…and then the 30 from the snitch catch…”

“We’re tied 60-60,” Allura said. “Which means we’re going into overtime.”

The entire team groaned. Overtime rules were weird and hardly ever used so they always had to look them up. Behind them, Sal was loading the rules on his phone, and everyone waited patiently to find out what would happen. 

“Okay,” Sal says, “There’s a 3 minute rest time, and then both teams start on opposite ends of the pitch,” he announced to the crowd, “It starts as a normal game, but the seeker is released after 30 seconds, with a 30 second seeker floor. Overtime will last for 5 minutes, or until the snitch has been caught. If the game is still tied in 5 minutes, we go into second overtime.”

The teams all nodded, getting their belongings to switch sides. 

“Keith,” Allura said, “That was great going out there,” Keith smiled. “Do you think you’ll be able to snitch again?”

Keith thought about it for a second, “I…I probably can, sure,”

“Allura, no,” Lance said, looking between her and Keith. “Put me in. I don’t mean this as an ego thing, but he’s tired.”

“I’m fine,” Keith protested, breathing heavily, “Besides, Lance is hurt.”

“I’m not hurt!” Lance said, “I’m doing fine.”

“That Lotor guy grabbed his neck,” Keith said, still breathing heavily.

Allura looked between them. “Keith, I’m putting Lance in,” She said. Lance smiled victorious. “And Lance, if you EVER get hurt again and you don’t tell anyone I will personally see to it you never play Quidditch so long as you live, do I make myself clear?”

Lance gulped, “Crystal.”

Allura took a deep breath. “Keith, I’m going to have you and Hunk be our beaters, we need a strong defense,” She went through the rest of their strategy.

“Hey,” Lance said, before Keith went to go line up, “I’m…I’m sorry for taking the position from you.”

Keith sighed, “Just give ‘em hell,” He said, and leaned up to give Lance another kiss on the cheek. 

It sent another thrill through Lance, but he was able to come up with words this time. “You know, you could like, try that again, but like a couple inches this way.” He said pointing at his lips.

“Oh look, Allura’s calling me in for a line-up,” Keith said, walking away. 

Lance chuckled and went to stand next to the snitch. Poor Prorok was devastated to hear he’d have to go through that again. 

Lotor came up as the Galra seeker for overtime. Lance gave him a small glare, but he knew that was nothing compared to the glare Keith was giving him from the starting line. “Ready?” Sal said, “Brooms up!” 

Lance watched Keith the whole time, his cheek still warm from the kiss. Keith got the bludger immediately, and despite being tired, he was on a warpath. Lance felt like a drumroll was going through him until the snitch was released. 

Then, seekers were released and Lance could hear only the blood rushing through his ears. 

Honestly, later he wouldn’t be able to remember the next minute and a half. He was laser focused in on the snitch bouncing on Prorok’s ass, something he really never thought he’d do, nor ever wanted to do again. He saw Lotor was closing in on it, but Prorok turned, grappling him, the both of them twisting back and forth. 

Lance reached forward, wrapped his hand around the sock, and tore…

He didn’t hear the whistle. He didn’t hear the cheer around him, and he didn’t see Lotor and Prorok backing away. He was mesmerized by the yellow sock with a tennis ball inside resting in his hand, not truly believing it was real. 

Finally he felt an aggressive and cheerful patting on his back and looked up to see Hunk, screaming in excitement “You did it!” He yelled, “You did it, we won! We won a match for real!”

It hit him all at once, it was the snitch, he had caught the snitch. He looked over to the scoreboard, which now read 90-60. They’d done it, he’d won. 

And then Keith was running towards him, all bright eyes and smile, his arms outstretched. He grabbed onto Lance’s jersey and pulled him into a congratulatory kiss, which froze Lance’s brain yet again.

“You did it!” Keith said, backing away, “We did it, we—“ but Lance was already pulling him in for another kiss, which Keith returned happily, as their team cheered around him. 

The Galra were less than pleased with this development, but let the Altea team have their fun. Allura was losing it, she was so pleased, lifting Matt up into the air (with Shiro holding an arm out behind them for stabilization.) “Hunk,” Pidge said, from somewhere nearby, “I think this calls for end-of-sports-movie clichés, don’t you?”

Lance had no idea what they were talking about until Lance was pulled out of Keith’s arms and lifted up in the air. He may have let out a tiny (manly) yelp, but laughed as they carried him to his car, Keith trailing behind them. 

Lance was placed in the backseat, his reward for doing so well was he didn’t have to drive. They completely forgot they didn’t say farewell to the Galra team, but they didn’t much care. 

Keith sat in the middle this time, pressed more or less into Lance, “So,” Keith asked as the world started to quiet down, but Lance’s head was still buzzing, “Was that an appropriate moment for a first kiss?”

“I dunno,” Lance said, “I think maybe we should try again.”

There they had their 3rd, 4th, and 5th kisses as the car took off, but they lost count of the exact number when Pidge protested once again about their level of mushiness and threatened to jump out of the car.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to write more about mudditch (its a thing that is terrible) but got caught up in the logistics of the match. 
> 
> I am considering doing some oneshot drabbles for this universe, (there are still many stories which I haven't included) but I wanna focus on doing something new and tbh I'm just kinda glad to get this story finished. not that I don't like it, its just like, another thing weighing on me. *shrug* I have many many more voltron (and maybe other fandom) fics I wanna write. (also things I have to write for like...life and shit...shh)


End file.
